HE’S MY BROTHER SHE’S MY SISTER

18 Mar HE’S MY BROTHER SHE’S MY SISTER

Featured with Paper Bird, Thursday, March 21

He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister

The Sheridan Arts Foundation presents one night of two very talented indie-pop bands,  He’s My Brother She’s My Sister and Paper Bird.  The event takes place Thursday, March 21, 2013 at the intimate, historic Sheridan Opera House. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; show time is 8 p.m. Seats out for dancing.

Both bands have played Telluride in the past: This is He’s My Brother She’s My Sister’s return to the Sheridan Opera House; Paper Bird had a gig at the Llama.

He’s My Brother She’s My Sister invite a variety of colorful words – printable ones – to describe their music and performances: flamboyant folk, psycho acoustic, estranged, glamorous and vaudeville-y. The outpouring is due to their mélange of musical styles, both modern and antique; their eccentric attire; the way they express them, at once sincere and theatrical; and, their unique instrumentation, a rhythm section bolstered by a tap dancer.

Brother and sister Robert Kolar and Rachel Kolar split vocal duties, with Robert on guitar and kick drum and Rachel on tambourine. Their voices range from boisterous to introspective, from breezy to emotive. Lauren Brown adds full-body percussion with her fluid tap-dancing and drumming. Oliver Newell adds stand up bass with joyous flair. Aaron Robinson plays lead guitar on a lap slide, veering from nuanced psychedelica to American roots riffs.

The band’s infectious rhythms and high energy make sounds come alive, prompting even uninitiated crowds to erupt in dance. The group’s songs ring like pop classics in a modern framework. It is a recipe that has quickly gained the band a devoted following in their hometown of Echo Park and the surrounding LA area, and that following has spread to every town the band has visited.

He’s My Brother She’s My Sister has played over 150 shows in 2011, including  the Sundance, High Sierra, Lowdown Hudson River Blues and SXSW festivals. And the group is booked for at this year’s famed Austin City Limits festival.

Paper Birds’ backbone is their songwriting, musicianship and an allergy to all limiting trends. With seven members and no clear leader, the possibilities that unfold are akin to  weather patterns. When asked what genre of music they play, the standard answer is “joyful.”  In truth, their hauntingly authentic, smooth sound is a refreshing blend of folk, jazz, bluegrass and rhythm and blues.

The seven-piece band consists of three female singers, accompanied by banjo, guitar, stand-up bass, and trombone. Young in age, but timeless in spirit, Paper Bird continually captures the hearts of new listeners and long-time fans.

Their rare and beautiful approach to music inspired NPR’s All Things Considered to feature the group and they have been among the Top 10 Best Underground Bands by Denver Post three years in a row. Paper Birds was also 5280s Top of the Town 2009 “Top Local Band.”

In the last year, Paper Birds have played Red Rocks Amphitheater to an audience of more than 8,000 people. They have shared the stage with Devotchka, Judy Collins, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Glen Campbell and Big Head Todd and the Monsters.

Paper Birds is Sarah Anderson, vocals and trumpet; sisters Esmé and Genny Patterson, vocals; Tyler Archuletta, trombone; Paul DeHaven, guitar; Caleb Summeril, banjo; Macon Terry, upright bass.

Tickets. $25, (plus $3 handling fee) are on sale at sheridanoperahouse.com or by calling 970-728-6363 ext. 5, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday–Friday.

Any music fans visiting from out of town can save 15 percent on lodging thanks to our generous lodging sponsor Telluride Alpine Lodging with the code 15Show at Telluridehotels.com. Find rooms starting as $89 a night!

For a preview, watch this video.