Izaak Opatz, Cuchulain, Townsend's Solitaire @ BALLARD HOMESTEAD
Event description
Izaak Opatz: www.izaakopatz.com
Like many of his favorite songwriters (John Hartford, Lucinda Williams, Jeff Tweedy), Izaak Opatz is an ungulate in life’s winter pasture, chewing on and metabolizing disappointment, heartbreak, and the other tough stuff into enjoyable musical carbohydrates. A compulsive metaphorager (and inveterate wordplayboy), Opatz breaks it all down with enzymes of wry humor, thoughtful simile and close observation - a therapeutic process of narrativizing his own life that, almost as a byproduct, turns out savory nuggets of literate, confessional pop.
Cuchulain: www.cuchulainkelly.com
Cuchulain is a low-voiced songwriter with a wry wit. Featured four years in a row as the NPR Music Tiny Desk Contest "Desk of the Day," the multi-instrumentalist's duets album FEAT was called "an as-yet-unpublished portion of the Great American Songbook." Cuchulain's deep baritone and clever lyrics have drawn comparisons to Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen, and Randy Newman. From the Kennedy Center to the Oregon Country Fair, from Club Passim to the Cobblestone in Dublin, Cuchulain's lyrics have brought laughs and tears to audiences across the US and beyond as he shared the stage with renowned folk acts including Ira Wolf, Jeffrey Lewis, Viv & Riley, Billy Keane, Upstate, Julianna Zachariou, and more. His Sing In The Shower single release tour took him to Europe in the summer of 2022, and his nationwide My Dog single release tour criss-crossed the US in summer 2023. His latest album Minute To Win It - a visual album of 20 songs in 20 minutes - peaked at 20,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and is an official selection at the 2024 Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation, and Technology. His next album of love songs, Window Seat, comes out Valentine's Day 2025.
Townsend's Solitaire: www.townsendssolitaire.com
Bobby Odle, a Seattle based singer-songwriter performing under the moniker Townsend’s Solitaire, is a classically trained percussionist turned folk musician.
Whilst living in Ashland, Oregon, faced with completing a master’s degree in percussion performance, as well as a worldwide pandemic, Townsend’s Solitaire turned his creative eye towards poetry and songwriting. Drawing heavy influence from artists like The Tallest Man on Earth, Adrianne Lenker, Bright Eyes, and Sufjan Stevens – Townsend’s Solitaire prioritizes and treasures genuinity above all else. His music is primarily fingerstyle acoustic guitar paired with a single vocal line singing lyrics addressing common anxieties, loss, and a love for life in this world – all the while drenched in a somber melancholy and nostalgia. His ensemble has mixtures of cello, violin, flute, clarinet, and piano.
Ballard Homestead
7p doors, 7:30p show
All ages, mostly seated, snacks and all ages beverages.
- Ballard Homestead is partially ADA accessible. Please email boxoffice@fremontabbey.org with questions and for accommodations. ballardhomestead.org/about
- Service animals as defined by the ADA are allowed. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.
- Please limit photos during the show so as to not distract other attendees from the experience.
- Please enter quietly if the show has already begun.
- Please leave quietly, it's a very quiet neighborhood.
- Quiet Picnics Welcome. ie. please no crunchy packaging or loud chips, smelly foods, etc. We sometimes have a few tables out, or you can use the side yard if weather is nice.
- Light snacks & non-alcoholic beverages may be available for purchase, but no other food or bar service at Ballard Homestead shows.
- We have a mix of padded chairs, benches, and a little standing room in back for big shows.
- We are an all ages venue. Kids 10 & under are free at Abbey Arts concerts & arts events unless noted. Please request by emailing boxoffice@fremontabbey.org
- Entering the venue indicates agreement to adhere to the Abbey Respect Policy. All are welcome. fremontabbey.org/respect
EVENT & VENUE INFO:
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