Lilli Lewis & Crys Matthews – 10/20

Athens, Georgia native turned New Orleans Folk Rock Diva Lilli Lewis is a voice for the voiceless in Americana, her third full album for Louisiana Red Hot Records, lauded by NPR, Rolling Stone, Offbeat Magazine, and the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Trained as an opera singer and classical pianist, singer-songwriter Lewis has been a composer, producer, and performing artist for over two decades. She has been known as the Folk-Rock Diva since performing in the Folk-Rock band The Shiz, founded with her wife Liz Hogan.

Lewis issued three previous releases on Louisiana Red Hot Records where she serves as VP and the Head of A&R: The 2018 The Henderson Sessions, 2019’s We Belong, and the 2020 My
American Heart Red + Blue EP. In 2020, Lewis also released a single she co-wrote, co-produced and performed — the “Mask Up” anthem for a public health campaign from Louisiana Red Hot Records and WHIV-FM featuring New Orleans favorites Kirk Joseph, Glen David Andrews, Roland Guerin, James Andrews, and Erica Falls.

Since the shutdown, Lewis has performed a powerful set for the Kennedy Center’s Arts Across America series, sang “My American Heart” for a voters’ rights benefit (where Broadway star
Mandy Patinkin compared her voice to “the color of light”), and performed for WWOZ-FM’s Piano Night benefit alongside celebrated artists like Jon Batiste, Ivan Neville.

Her full ensemble, known at home as the Lilli Lewis Project, refers to itself as “not so much a band but rather a pan-generational cult of radical decency” willing to traverse any musical terrain, bearing the spirit of days when everyone still seemed to believe music could change the world.

As the story goes, Lewis’ mother was told her baby probably wouldn’t survive because of lung trouble in utero. Lewis now uses those same lungs to bring what she calls sacred songs into profane spaces, and though she’s abandoned trying to define her sound, she hopes her audiences leave her performances knowing two things: that they are brilliant as they are, and that they have the ability to use their own brilliance to make a better world.

For this leg of the tour, Lilli will be joined by her good friend CRYS MATTHEWS.

DC’s Crys Matthews is nothing if not ambitious. In August, she simultaneously released both a new full-length album, The Imagineers, and an EP, Battle Hymn For An Army Of Lovers. These collections showcase two sides of Matthews’ dynamic songwriting; The Imagineers is a selection of thoughtful songs about love and life while Battle Hymn For An Army Of Lovers tackles social justice themes. Songs from both projects have already won her recognition and awards. She was one of ten finalists (from a pool of 5,000) in this year’s NewSong Music Competition and, after performing at Lincoln Center on November 30th she was named grand-prize winner. Matthews also won the People Music Network’s Social Just Songs contest at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance.

Matthews blends Americana, folk, jazz, blues, bluegrass and funk into a bold, complex performance steeped in traditional melodies and punctuated by honest, original lyrics. Having been compared to everyone from Toshi Reagon to Tracy Chapman to Ruthie Foster, Matthews’ eclectic infusion of genres has won her honorable mentions at the 2013 and 2014 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest and extensive radio play from Woman of Substance radio to WTJU-Charlottesville and WMRA-Harrisonburg to KBOO-Portland. Matthews has shared stages with Melissa Ferrick, Chris Pureka, and Liz Longley, as well as several regional artists such as Owen Danoff, Eliot Bronson, and Heather Mae.

Equally at home in an acoustic listening room as she is on stage at large music festivals, Matthews has quickly gathered a loyal following on the east coast playing such prestigious venues as The Birchmere, The Hamilton, and Jammin’ Java. Matthews’ festival and showcase roster has included BMI’s Island Hopper Songwriter Festival, the 40th Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, Folk Alliance International, 30A Songwriters Festival, Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, and many more.

A prolific lyricist and composer, Matthews has found inspiration in her surroundings; from driving through the Blue Ridge Mountains to the compelling and heart-breaking love story of Richard and Mildred Loving. Thoughtful, realistic, and emotional, Matthews’ songs speak to the voice of our generation and remind us why music indeed soothes the soul. 

 

DOORS: 6PM   SHOWTIME: 7PM

SEATING OPTIONS:

We have 4 options for our ticketed performances:

PREMIUM TABLES FOR TWO

Regular height table for TWO PEOPLE (18 available), the back row tables are bar height (4 available)

IMPORTANT NOTE: 1 ticket = 2 seats. Each Premium Table admits TWO people to the show.

STAGE TABLES FOR TWO

Regular height table for TWO PEOPLE directly in front of the stage (2 available)

IMPORTANT NOTE: 1 ticket = 2 seats. Each Premium Table admits TWO people to the show.

PREMIUM SINGLE  at Bar

Single barstool at the bar directly across from the stage (4 available)

General Admission SINGLE

Our general admission area has 15 high-top tables with barstools. If you buy a GA ticket, you are guaranteed a stool and table, you may be seated with other GA ticket holders in order to maximize seating.