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Description
Brittany Ann Tranbaugh, Stefan Weiner, and Blair Borax
at The Parlor Room
Friday, April 12th 2024
SHOW: 7:30pm / DOORS: 7:00pm
ADV TIX: $20 GA / $18 MEMBERS
DOS TIX: $25 GA / $23 MEMBERS
In February 2023, 31-year-old Brittany Ann Tranbaugh (pronounced TRAN-baw) finally quit her office job to pursue a full-time music career. Though she began writing songs and playing gigs as a teenager, multiple bouts of creative and mental health struggles—culminating in a several years-long hiatus from music altogether in her mid-to-late 20s—prevented her from ever taking the full leap. Everything changed in 2021 when her longtime friend Jackson Emmer called her up and implored her to come out to Colorado and record her backlog of original songs with him. Tranbaugh hit the road and spent a week with Emmer in his home studio, resulting in Quarter Life Crisis Haircut, her comeback EP released in April 2022. Bouncing between witty sarcasm and heartbreaking vulnerability, the songs tackled a wide range of topics including her sixth grade queer awakening, an awkward run-in with an old acquaintance, and the impossibility of true folk music authenticity in our modern age.
Tranbaugh’s music became even more powerful when she reunited with bassist Joe Plowman and guitarist Kevin Brosky, two old friends from her Temple University house show scene days. Plowman introduced drummer Adam Shumski, and the group instantly re-energized Tranbaugh’s musical instincts, with old songs gaining new life and new songs blossoming with lush arrangements. The supercharged group hit the Philly music scene and established themselves as local favorites, garnering praise from WXPN and drawing enthusiastic crowds.
In July 2022, Tranbaugh's queer Americana heartbreaker "Kiss You" was awarded Song of the Year in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, which came with a $20,000 cash prize. She used the money to fly her band out to Los Angeles to record five songs with Grammy-winning producer Tyler Chester (Madison Cunningham, Margaret Glaspy, Watkins Family Hour), which proved to be a life-affirming trip. In March 2023, Tranbaugh released the first song from this new batch, the exuberant long-distance-relationship anthem “Can’t Wait No Rush.” The new songs showcase Tranbaugh in her new era: energetic, self-assured, surrounded by her beloved musical community, and more commanding as a vocalist and writer than ever before.
With vocal stylings reminiscent of jazz classics, Blair Borax delivers a unique blend of unapologetic songwriting that fearlessly tackles the taboo and irresistibly catchy pop melodies that stay with you for days. She conjures a vocal charm somewhere in between Regina Spektor and Cat Clyde, wordsmithing inspired by folk songwriting greats like John Prine and Paul Simon, and tender timely vulnerability akin to Haley Heynderickx and Big Thief’s Adrienne Lenker.
Following the success of her debut album "Keep Walking" in June 2022, Blair is poised to unveil her sophomore record, "Tender Lately" in February 2024.‘Tender Lately’ leaves the listener with gentle reminders to quiet the inner critic, find joy in small things, and embrace the precious brevity of our time on Earth. With more sophisticated songwriting, a newfound confidence in fingerpicking guitar, and a move towards honest acoustic folk production, Tender Lately is Borax’s most compelling work to date.
Stefan Weiner is an NYC-based queer singer-songwriter. He mixes the immediacy of classic pop writing with the intimacy of a quiet conversation with a friend. Through his music, Stefan hopes to create space for people to access a deeper vulnerability. After years making pop music, Stefan made the transition back to indie folk, where he got his start. Stefan released his first folk EP in 10 years, My Birthday Again, in June of this year and is releasing more singles and another EP through the rest of 2023.
The Parlor Room is a BYOB venue. Tickets are non-refundable.
The Parlor Room is located at 32 Masonic Street Northampton, MA 01060
Date & Time
Fri, Apr 12, 2024 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Venue Details
The Parlor Room
32 Masonic StreetNorthampton, Massachusetts 01060
