Allison Crowe and Band find clothier

’twas another favourite band from a northern town that lyricized love – and fun – cannae be bought with money.

Musing on such fab notions, this birthday of Allison Crowe, it must be noted, then, that Allison and bandmates Céline Sawchuk, Sarah White, Dave Baird & Keelan Purchase form a priceless combo.

Witness some of their concerted hijinks – giving rise to the group term known as “a reel of Keelans” (akin to a flock of seagulls, a pod of dolphins etc.) – and contributing to Allison’s recent post-tour declaration:

I'm exhausted - but it's the good kind of exhausted. Not the kind that's like "I'm never doing that again. Ever." , but rather the kind that comes from working like crazy on something you felt you were maybe supposed to do, but was really a giant leap in to a pit of OH DEAR GOD THIS IS CRAZY of sorts, with a group of people that rocked their butts off with enthusiasm and love the whole damn time. Not without fear. The kind of fight or flight that it turns out is exhilarating rather than debilitating. When you get off the ride at the fair and scream "LET'S DO IT AGAIN" until you're hoarse and your body can't take it anymore. So - Celine - thank you for your passion and music and images and designs and being my gym and knitting buddy, Dave - thank you for your precision and timing and hilariousness and birding and commitment - Sarah thank you for your mando and music and level-headedness and perspective with humour, and Keelan - for jumping in this crazy clown car with us and bringing your instruments and jokes and huge dramatic presence and subtlety and also thank you for your clothes. I love you guys. LET'S DO IT AGAIN.

Verses - Allison Crowe and Band Live!

Celebrating the birthday of Allison Crowe, a great artist of our lifetime, with this newest of recordings –  “Verses”.

Musicians Allison Crowe (vocals, piano, guitar, fiddle, bodhran), Céline Sawchuk (cello, vocals), Sarah White (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Dave Baird (bass, vocals) & Keelan Purchase (accordion, 12-string guitar, bodhran, harmonica, vocals) recently banded together on the lovely isle of Newfoundland for sessions and shows.

For a flock of creators who live, literally, all over the map it’s a rare chance to slow the world a bit. “We had time to experiment, and think more about the larger picture musically,” says bassist & birder Dave. “It’s only the beginning. It’s just the first we’ve had opportunity to work the music out without much time restraint. It was fun, relaxed, and productive.”

Melding into one sound and performance experience the rawest of folk roots and the richest of arena rock –  that barely begins to describe the originality and freshness of the quintet’s music and personality.

Debuting at Corner Brook, NL’s Rotary Arts Centre, RAC Theatre Co-ordinator Brad Randell observes, “The performance was absolutely magical.”

Rolling across the rock to St. John’s and a concert night at LSPU Hall, magic’s afoot once more with Allison Crowe and Band – and, this time, serendipitously, artifacts remain to be shared in addition to golden memories of artists and audience+.

Alick Tsui, the truly remarkable SJ-based photographer, was able to attend Act 1 (the band’s NL concerts formed around one set in which Allison played guitar or fiddle, and, post-intermission, a second set of songs founded on Allison’s piano tunes) – and Alick captured some iconic images of Allison, Céline, Sarah, Dave & Keelan.

Fortune’s present audio-wise, and Allison’s SD (memory) card is filled with tracks to be mined.

First up – this original song tagged with some trad.

We have the music

 One of the greatest rock and roll escapades since the ’60s ends a chapter today in Europe as Allison Crowe (vocals, piano, guitar, fiddle, bodhran), Céline Greb aka Lin Lin (cello, vocals), Sarah White (mandolin, guitar, vocals), und Dave Baird (bass), part ways after this first leg of their “Heirs + Grievances” tour. We say farewell for now to Milka Smid, Intl. Tour Liaison, and Axel Dollheiser, Driver & Road Manager.

Thank you for coming out and being part of it all – Frankfurt, Izola, Firenze, Berlin, Dennach, Vaihingen an der Enz, Neunkirchen, Grunbach / Engelsbrand, Hamburg, Hastings, Hoielaart and Brussels!! We hope to bring the music to the whole world.

“My heart is full but it's also breaking , if I'm being honest - this is exactly the same picture i posted last night from @racines_bruxelles but for some reason it took a series of 6? Anyways why not?? - I couldn't ask for a better band or more amazing friends from all over the world - from Frankfurt to Brussels - and last night's show was the most fun I've had in years - which just makes it harder to know the tour is over! If anyone knows me - I'm usually tired at the end of tours - and yes I'm tired now - but I feel I could keep going forever - can't wait til next time -candles wtf forever! Holy f×× and THEN SOME - remember to never owl alone. (Inside jokes sorry haha)”

Allison Crowe on Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/allison_crowe