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harmonies
Darlingside
caffe lena 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, United StatesCaffè Lena has been pivotal to Darlingside’s journey since 2013 when the band first performed as part of our Emerging Artist Breakout series. Annual shows here helped them gain national attention, with NPR describing their indie rock as “exquisitely arranged, literary minded, baroque folk-pop.” Their elegant compositions and unified voices have earned praise from Rolling Stone and The New Yorker, fostering a worldwide following.
Their fourth LP, Everything Is Alive, brings fresh new sounds. Exploring themes of personal and universal change, the album delves into big life decisions, emphasizing loss and redemption. Produced and recorded by the band and mixed by Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, Sufjan Stevens, Iron and Wine), it showcases Darlingside’s evolution while retaining signature harmonies and melodic sophistication.
The Nields
caffe lena 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, United StatesThe Nields have been lighting up the indie circuit since 1991, originally traveling the continent as a five-piece band. Today, sisters Nerissa and Katryna perform as a duo often compared to The Indigo Girls and The Roches. The Chicago Tribune reports, “As the work of the Everly Brothers or the McGarrigle Sisters has amply demonstrated, there are few sounds as sublime as close harmonies rendered by siblings. In the case of western Massachusetts folk rockers the Nields, the siblings are sisters Nerissa and Katryna Nields, and their inimitable vocal blend is a disarming mix of clean folk harmonies and clenched Generation-X angst.”
The Nields have been lauded for their gorgeous, lilting, sibling harmonies, their wise, classic, folk/pop songs, their hilarious banter on stage, and their generosity and warmth in performance and engagement with their fans. “A masterful mix of modern folk with an alternative edge” (Minneapolis Star Tribune), and The Austin Chronicle raves, “If there’s one constant here, it’s The Nields sisters beautifully sweet vocal harmonies that sound eerily like the Roches singing Lush in a really big room. It's infectious stuff.”
Little Folks: The Nields
caffe lena 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, United StatesFor more than 30 years, Nerissa & Katryna Nields have charmed audiences with their generation-bridging music. Breaking out in the ‘90s as an alt-rock band, they became that rare band that teens and parents could agree on. Once they became parents themselves, they began sprinkling shows for little ones into their tours, playing sets of family-friendly originals with folk classics, creating an engaging, all-ages experience.
The sisters evoke the spirit of Pete Seeger with audience sing-alongs. Expect your kids to shout out answers to their questions, and participate in raucous clap-alongs to new classics like "Molly the Donkey." The atmosphere is a joyful, participatory experience where children and adults alike join in song and laughter.
Raised in a musical family, the Nields sisters learned harmony around the kitchen table. Their deep connection to folk music, passed down from their parents, informs every performance. As Nerissa says, "Singing together is heaven on earth." Their vibrant shows reflect that belief, celebrating the power of music to bring people together.
Made possible by the generous support of Kevin & Claudia Bright.
Goodnight Moonshine feat. Molly of Red Molly
caffe lena 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, United StatesThis duo combines the evocative voice and songwriting of Molly Venter, known for her sublime singing in vocal trio Red Molly, with husband, Oberlin-trained guitarist Eben Pariser of New Orleans style jazz band Roosevelt Dime.
Venter’s voice, which can be called both “biker-chick smoky” (New Haven Register), and “like silk” (American Songwriter Magazine), pairs with trance-induced stream-of-consciousness writing in songs that probe the depths of inner experience.
Their show is punctuated by banter that openly explores the complexities of marriage, the Creator, birth, life, death and the roller coaster that is everyday life. For Venter and Pariser, It is the way they make space for each other while staying true to themselves that defines this music, and marriage.
Oshima Brothers with opener Madeleine Roger
caffe lena 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, United StatesOshima Bothers, a Japanese-Italian alt-pop sibling duo from the coast of Maine, make open-hearted music with exhilarating, almost unbelievably smooth vocal harmonies and groovy guitar lines. With keys, bass, drums and looping, they create a sonic experience that is contemporary, danceable and yet full of poetic observation about big things going on in the world. Their unique music is fueled by technical tinkering, aesthetic brilliance and devotion to human connection. Embracing a DIY approach, they produce every inch of their songs and videos from scratch, including a 45-minute album-movie. Maine Public Radio says their “harmonies can’t be beat. They are uplifting and, let’s face it, we need uplifting these days.”
Winnepeg singer-songwriter Madeleine Roger has a riveting, intimate style that unites lyrical prowess and breathtaking melodies that linger long after they're sung. “Madeleine's excellent songwriting, ear for traditional-sounding melodies, fabulous voice, and skillful guitar playing give them a timeless quality, though they speak directly to our time.” - Stan Rogers Folk Festival.