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2019 Irish-Tinged Singer-Songwriter Rebecca

11th, Hart & The Wrong Band Do The Right

December Thing This Season At Rockwood

| By Brad Balfour Mammoth. Internationally,
EXAMINER Lwas year, as season she has performed at the PHOTO
the
ast
National Theatre of Oslo
Christmas
in,
the
Yarmouk
kicking
(Sprkbox),
BY
IRISH Rebecca Hart with band Cultural Centre in Kuwait, CHRISTINE
in tow, and a variety of
and the Town Hall Studio in
Galway, Ireland (original
special guests, did an inti-
mate but remarkable ver- solo musical produced by the JEAN
sion of a holiday show — Druid). She has toured exten-
or at least her idea of sively in Ireland (though it’s
one. Laden with a few been a while) at venues like CHAMBERS
blasphemous references Whelans, the Project Arts
and a bow or two to Centre, the Roisin Dubh, and
Hanukkah (or Chanukah Cyprus Avenue. Her original
depending on where you solo show ‘Jazz Desert: The
look), this millennial Life & Death of an American
proved to be knowl- Band’ was presented by the
edgable beyond her gener- Druid at the Town Hall
ation drawing on a solid Studio in Galway. “The
set of references from Magician’s Daughter,” her
country to Irish ballads, recent album, was produced
to perform quite a bunch by acclaimed cel-
of originals and cover all list/songwriter Ben Sollee in
in her own special style. Louisville KY and by Ben
Once again, she does her Arons (also her band’s drum-
version of this show at mer) in NYC.
Rockwood Music Hall’s
stage 3 on December Q: How is this year’s set
13th, at 8:30 pm. different from last year’s? (drums). We are joined occa- and suddenly there they vocal effects and (upcoming)
This NYC-based actor, RH: There will be some sionally by Nick Stephens on were. It was very much ‘if electric guitar. I like writing
songwriter, theatrical similarities for sure; I like tra- trumpet and our ‘unofficial’ you build it they will come’. one thing by myself and hav-
writer/composer once acci- dition. NYC burlesque leg- bandmate Mr. Jonny ing it come out like some-
dentally won a comedy con- end Jonny Porkpie and I will Porkpie, the Band Disruptor Q: Will this be a special thing else once the guys are
test in a bar in Dublin, do our annual holiday come- or sometimes Court Jester. Christmas show or represen- playing it. There’s room for
Ireland, while appearing as dy song. We’ll be doing It’s a fun mix of people vary- tative of your general set? everything, which is why it
musical guest. She’s racked material from The ing widely in age and influ- RH: We’re calling this the makes sense to play a whim-
up acting credits in the Magician’s Daughter for ences (David and I share a “annual holiday show” sical folk duet (“Waltz
national tour of Lynn sure. But this band has been background in theater and in because the theater artist in Home”) and then a haunting
Nottage’s Sweat with the playing together a lot since ‘70s rock; Matt and I share a me loves a theme (light in epic-ish rock song
Public Theatre Mobile Unit; then and I’ve written a bunch love of twangy Americana; the dark time of the year)… (“Perfume”)… and then have
The Civilians’ Rimbaud in of new material. Also, there’s Ben and I had a great time And, we’ll be doing a nod or a burlesque comedian run
BAM, perfomed in some cross-pollination hap- emphasizing the electronica two to the season. Also, most onstage for a parody song at
Midsummer, a play with pening such as a song written elements of the album and of the band is at least half- the end of which he takes off
songs at Hartford by Matt Gelfer, and one from looking for ways to bring it Jewish so it would never be his pants. It’s all part of what
Theaterworks (CT Critics a rock musical that David out more from different parts solely a ‘Christmas’ show. I do.
Circle Best Actress Kornfeld and I wrote for The of my life… Otherwise, it’s a regular In particular, “The Kestrel
Nomination); done a work- Civilians Theatre Company Nick, David, and I met in gig… Strand” is a song that people
shop of The Pogues musical R&D Group. grad school at NYU studying seem to really respond to; we
‘Fairytale of NY’ at the writing for musical theatre; Q: Of the songs that always joke about how it’s
Public, and five shows at the Q: This looks a little like a Ben and Chris and I play in you’ve composed, which our most-video’d song…
Actors Theatre of Louisville different band … The Dirty Waltz Band, a folk ones best represent who you People seem to take out their
including lead roles at the RH: Same band but we cover group, and I know are and your music’s direc- phones as soon as it starts.
35th/36th Humana Festivals. finally named ourselves — Matt from his wonderful tion? It’s a folk tune about being in
She can also be seen playing Rebecca Hart & The Wrong ‘folkgrass’ band The New RH: I’m enjoying the a bar in Ireland and observ-
guitar in Young Adult, a film Band — after the Tori Amos Students, with whom I used range of influences from the ing a couple in love. When I
starring Charlize Theron. song. They are great. Right to gig a lot. various artistic things I do, wrote it, I remember making
As a composer and/or now it’s a five piece: myself We talk a lot about how the people onstage and the a conscious decision to keep
lyricist, her work has on guitar/lead this group came together freedom I feel within that to it simple musically and emo-
appeared in productions with vocals/primary songwriting, seemingly effortlessly and we explore. We are definitely a tionally. It’s a waltz with a
The Civilians, Target Margin Kornfeld (keyboards, laptop, can’t quite remember how folk band — with an upright fiddle solo; I’m usually a lot
Theatre, the Sprkbox Festival melodica and vocals), Gelfer but it works. All I know is I bass, fiddle, etc. — but I more smoke and mirrors and
in Oslo Norway, and (fiddle, mandolin, guitar and made ‘The Magician’s don’t always write folk imagery. Particularly, I
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ vocals), Chris Nattrass Daughter’ and needed some songs. Our sound includes forced myself to just be
GLORIA at Woolly (upright bass), and Ben Arons people to perform it with me crunchy synthesizers and truthful and vulnerable and