Red Molly at Landmark on Main Street
April 8th • 7 PM
With Special Guest Ellis Paul
Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner, and Molly Venter of Red Molly
Americana powerhouse trio Red Molly is known for their gorgeous harmonies, infectious songwriting, and captivating stage presence. Laurie MacAllister (bass), Abbie Gardner (Dobro), and Molly Venter (guitar) weave together the threads of American music—from Folk roots to Bluegrass, from heartbreaking ballads to barn-burning honky tonk—as effortlessly as they blend their caramel voices into their signature crystalline, three-part harmonies.
Organic musicianship, a respect for the traditions of American music, and an obvious love of crafting music together lend a joyous atmosphere to their legendary live performances. Gracing stages from Denver to Denmark, from Australia to Austin, Red Molly is renowned for their live shows. The “Mollies” bring audiences to their feet, whether it’s on a grand festival stage or in an intimate concert hall.
Their brilliantly wrought acapella tunes are love letters to the art of the vocal blend, and their innovative instrumentation is perfectly suited for foot stomping bluegrass-tinged barnburners and perfectly crafted heart-full ballads alike.
Laurie, Abbie, and Molly each have wonderfully distinct voices, both in their actual vocal timbre and in their individual songwriting styles and song choices. Abbie is the balladeer in the sawdust bar, singing in the blue lights, making us cry into our beers. Molly is the mirror, finding the truths of loss and history and the full joy of love and putting it to the perfect tune we somehow feel like we knew all along. Laurie is the storyteller; the songs she sings crack open the heart and run like trains through the landscape of our memories. Though each of them shines alone, the true majesty of Red Molly comes with the effortless blend of their voices. Together Red Molly’s vocals swell and swoon in a way that raises goosebumps.
Ellis Paul
Some artists document their lives through their music. Others chronicle their times. It’s a rare artist who can do both, telling their own story through songs that also encapsulate the essence of people and places who have helped define their era overall. Ellis Paul is one of those gifted singer/songwriters.
Though some may refer to him as a folk singer, he is more, for lack of a better word, a singular storyteller, a musician whose words reach out from inside and yet also express the feelings, thoughts, and sensibilities that most people can relate to in one way or another. The exhilaration of the open road. A celebration of heroes. The hope for redemption. Descriptions of those things that are both near and dear. The sharing of love…, intimate, passionate and enduring.
He’s an observer, a philosopher, and an astute storyteller who shares with his listeners the life lessons he’s learned, and in turn, life lessons they ought to heed as well. By affirming and defining who he is, Ellis Paul affirms and uncovers the essence of us all.