Birds of Chicago
St Lawrence Acoustic Stage
12320 County Road 2;
Mar 2, 2019
7:00 PM EST
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About this concert
Birds of Chicago
March 2, 2019 | 7 pm
Birds of Chicago is a collective based around the husband and wife team of JT Nero and Allison Russell. Whether touring as a duo or with the full family band, Nero and Russell have emerged as two of the most compelling new voices in North American Roots music.
For several years Russell and Nero’s respective bands, Po' Girl (based in Vancouver, and who graced our stage back in 2009), and JT and the Clouds (based in Chicago, IL), had collaborated extensively, but on 2011’s Mountains/Forests, released under the JT Nero banner, they tapped into the true, bewitching power of their voices together on an entire record.
For Birds of Chicago, every word counts. Every note counts. No gold-dusting, no filler. Music is the good news. Nero’s fractured country-soul voice wrapped in Russell’s silver and gold tones, is a fine thing. Not too perfect, not at all saccharine, you’ll hear echoes of mountain gospel, street corner doo-wop, and classic soul.
Music this raw and soul-rich demands to be experienced live, and Birds of Chicago have developed a fervent following, touring 200 nights a year since their formation in late 2012. For these Birds, singing for a room full of new people, hearts wide open, keeps off the cold and chases off the shadows. What a beautiful way to welcome March in to Morrisburg! The opening act for this performance will be announced closer to our show date. Visit Birds of Chicago’s website here.
Tickets for this show are $25 in advance and $30 at the door available online at the link below or in person at Upper Canada Playhouse Box Office and the McIntosh Inn in Morrisburg and Rurban Brewing in Cornwall. Cash only sales at our vendors, and please check their websites for their hours. All tickets are non-refundable. If you are ordering online, tickets will be mailed to you (except in the final week before a show date, we will hold these for pick up at the door). Please note, online sales close the day prior to shows, whether or not we are sold out. Shows that are sold out will be posted here and on our Facebook page - otherwise come on out and get your tickets at the door, even last minute decisions can be great decisions!
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Circle Hat
$25.0 USD
Live Collage Sweatshirt
$45.0 USD
Rainbow T-Shirt
$30.0 USD
Circle Beanie
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What fans are saying
Steph
March 10th 2020
See them, buy their albums, CD’s, tapes, stream them. Birds as a band are part of the recent renaissance of Americana cum folk music cum No Depression style. Allison Russell is a singing treasure.
Bonus was my introduction to the Wood Brothers. Fantastic songs! A great show.
Los Angeles, CA@Regent Theater DTLA
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Birds of Chicago Biography
Birds of Chicago, "This year's biggest roots surprise" - L.A. Times, is a collective built around husband and wife duo JT Nero (Chicago, IL) and Allison Russell (Montreal, QC). Since forming in 2012, they’ve toured internationally 10+ months of the year.
Their brand of rock and roll poetry can be a little hard to categorize, for people that insist on categorizing... their voices are undoubtedly the centerpiece - Nero's fractured country soul croon is wrapped in Russell's silver and gold tones for a harmony blend that is like nothing else in music today. Fired by the band it’s a full tilt revival - streamlined poems, deep grooves, sharp hooks and joyful singing straight from the gut.
Birds of Chicago’s self-titled debut album, released at the beginning of 2013, was a critics' darling – with glowing praise rolling in from both sides of the Atlantic for Nero and Russell's evocative poetry and simmering vocals. The decision to put their respective bands (JT’s “JT & The Clouds” & Allison's "Po' Girl") on hiatus and tour together was a pivotal move, applauded by their fans, and growing numbers of new listeners.
After a year of hard touring, and much buzzed about appearances at summer festivals (Strawberry, High Sierra, Kerrville, Hillside, Delfest, Vancouver Island among others) the band decided to record a live album in front of their hometown fans. The result "Live from Space," released January 2014, captures this rising band in absolute top form. By turns raw, raucous, whispered and hushed, it revealed the bands full dynamic range. Americana UK says, "'Live From SPACE’ leaves no genre unaccounted for, no touchstone unturned. A Cappella spiritual, soul, acoustic balladry, driving country rock - it’s all there. And that’s only the first four tracks."
Russell and Nero are most at home on the road, zigzagging across North America and Europe in their family band van, with their new baby daughter, Ida Maeve, in tow. Coming soon to some festival, theater, pub, VFW hall, roller rink or living room near you - dovetailing their voices in songs of hope, despair, love.... and electric seahorses. It's familiar and strange stuff - the everyday and the magical - light and shadow, shadow and light.
"Near perfect Americana”- No Depression
"Simply gorgeous. On the verge of breaking big time"
- Chicago tribune
“This year’s biggest roots surprise.” L.A. Times
“10/10. ‘Live From SPACE’ leaves no genre unaccounted for, no touchstone unturned. If you want acappella spiritual – it’s here (‘Barley’), you want ‘soul’- it’s here (‘All The City Girls’), you want acoustic balladry – it’s here (‘I Have Heard Words’), you want driving country rock – it’s here (‘Sugar Dumplin’’). And that’s only the first four tracks. (Americana UK, April 2014)
“[Birds of Chicago] have discovered a power in their collective that creates some truly spine tingling moments. Mix a little gospel, a little soul, plenty of country attitude and you get the semblance of the forces at play here. Heard live, this couple display a spirit in performance that is really special and conjures up the celebratory feel of a revival meeting.” (Lonesome Highway – May, 2014)
“I Have Heard Words – Top Ten Songs Of The Week” (The Alternate Root – May 29, 2014)
“The band brings alive the big fat Birds of Chicago sound, topped off by two of the most distinctive voices on the Americana scene. 5 Stars” (Northern Sky, May 2014)
“Impeccable harmonies, warm voices and beautiful accompaniment.” (R2-Rock ‘N Reel Magazine, May 2014)
“Birds of Chicago are a sound buffet, and the band members are master chefs serving cabaret twang, dark folk blues, rock heavy alt country, and Mediterranean beach bar band. They are a gypsy band, knowing that their sound should be felt and seen as much as heard.” (The Alternate Root, May 2014)
“[Live From SPACE] is a contender for live record of the year.” (House of Mercy Radio, May 2014)
“I can’t recommend their album highly enough, but if you get the opportunity to see Birds of Chicago play live; make the effort to see them. You won’t regret it. (No Depression – Newcastle concert review – April 4, 2013)
Twenty Bands Pushing The Envelope – The Alternate Root; March, 2013.
“These two will become an ‘It’ act in Americana circles for years to come.” (Portland Tribune; Jan. 10, 2013)
http://waxwingfilms.com/birds/c2credits.mov
Read MoreTheir brand of rock and roll poetry can be a little hard to categorize, for people that insist on categorizing... their voices are undoubtedly the centerpiece - Nero's fractured country soul croon is wrapped in Russell's silver and gold tones for a harmony blend that is like nothing else in music today. Fired by the band it’s a full tilt revival - streamlined poems, deep grooves, sharp hooks and joyful singing straight from the gut.
Birds of Chicago’s self-titled debut album, released at the beginning of 2013, was a critics' darling – with glowing praise rolling in from both sides of the Atlantic for Nero and Russell's evocative poetry and simmering vocals. The decision to put their respective bands (JT’s “JT & The Clouds” & Allison's "Po' Girl") on hiatus and tour together was a pivotal move, applauded by their fans, and growing numbers of new listeners.
After a year of hard touring, and much buzzed about appearances at summer festivals (Strawberry, High Sierra, Kerrville, Hillside, Delfest, Vancouver Island among others) the band decided to record a live album in front of their hometown fans. The result "Live from Space," released January 2014, captures this rising band in absolute top form. By turns raw, raucous, whispered and hushed, it revealed the bands full dynamic range. Americana UK says, "'Live From SPACE’ leaves no genre unaccounted for, no touchstone unturned. A Cappella spiritual, soul, acoustic balladry, driving country rock - it’s all there. And that’s only the first four tracks."
Russell and Nero are most at home on the road, zigzagging across North America and Europe in their family band van, with their new baby daughter, Ida Maeve, in tow. Coming soon to some festival, theater, pub, VFW hall, roller rink or living room near you - dovetailing their voices in songs of hope, despair, love.... and electric seahorses. It's familiar and strange stuff - the everyday and the magical - light and shadow, shadow and light.
"Near perfect Americana”- No Depression
"Simply gorgeous. On the verge of breaking big time"
- Chicago tribune
“This year’s biggest roots surprise.” L.A. Times
“10/10. ‘Live From SPACE’ leaves no genre unaccounted for, no touchstone unturned. If you want acappella spiritual – it’s here (‘Barley’), you want ‘soul’- it’s here (‘All The City Girls’), you want acoustic balladry – it’s here (‘I Have Heard Words’), you want driving country rock – it’s here (‘Sugar Dumplin’’). And that’s only the first four tracks. (Americana UK, April 2014)
“[Birds of Chicago] have discovered a power in their collective that creates some truly spine tingling moments. Mix a little gospel, a little soul, plenty of country attitude and you get the semblance of the forces at play here. Heard live, this couple display a spirit in performance that is really special and conjures up the celebratory feel of a revival meeting.” (Lonesome Highway – May, 2014)
“I Have Heard Words – Top Ten Songs Of The Week” (The Alternate Root – May 29, 2014)
“The band brings alive the big fat Birds of Chicago sound, topped off by two of the most distinctive voices on the Americana scene. 5 Stars” (Northern Sky, May 2014)
“Impeccable harmonies, warm voices and beautiful accompaniment.” (R2-Rock ‘N Reel Magazine, May 2014)
“Birds of Chicago are a sound buffet, and the band members are master chefs serving cabaret twang, dark folk blues, rock heavy alt country, and Mediterranean beach bar band. They are a gypsy band, knowing that their sound should be felt and seen as much as heard.” (The Alternate Root, May 2014)
“[Live From SPACE] is a contender for live record of the year.” (House of Mercy Radio, May 2014)
“I can’t recommend their album highly enough, but if you get the opportunity to see Birds of Chicago play live; make the effort to see them. You won’t regret it. (No Depression – Newcastle concert review – April 4, 2013)
Twenty Bands Pushing The Envelope – The Alternate Root; March, 2013.
“These two will become an ‘It’ act in Americana circles for years to come.” (Portland Tribune; Jan. 10, 2013)
http://waxwingfilms.com/birds/c2credits.mov
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Rock N Roll Poetry
Americana
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