VKB Band: The Long Way Home

An evening of fantastic voyages, epic journeys, and twisting paths via the songs of Tom Waits as interpreted by VKB (VickiKristinaBarcelona)--three songwriters, powerful singers, harmonizers, and multi-instrumentalists who create a sound that’s unique and unforgettable. This trio of acclaimed singer-songwriters–Amanda Homi, Rachelle Garniez, and Kirsten Thiene imagine the sensitive and surprising world of Tom Waits with harmonium, accordion, banjo, and dazzling three-part harmonies. Their genre-fluid, globe-trotting, blues-soaked brilliance bursts with humor and heart.

Tonight's performance explores the Tom Waits/Kathleen Brennan songbook, a travelogue of worlds familiar and exotic, from train yards and back alleys to sweeping desert vistas, ocean crossings, and never-ending highways to nowhere. VKB Band invites us along for the ride, a journey of off-road detours and unexpected modes of transportation. The journey is the destination.

Anything but a tribute band, each member of VKB brings a distinctive palette of styles and ideas. Together they find an authenticity that makes the music all their own. Waits’ songs are redefined, redecorated, carefully polished diamonds glowing in the light of gorgeous three-part harmonies and always inventive instrumentation. The performances are touching, emotional, hilarious, and poignant, never failing to surprise and delight audiences around the globe.

Amanda Homi is what is known in show-biz as a triple threat. She keeps the pulse of the music, playing drums, percussion, harmonium, and ukulele, bringing flavors from around the world, all while delivering a delight-filled blend of virtuosic singing and commanding theatricality.

Multi-instrumentalist Rachelle Garniez is a tragic-comic colorist with a chameleon voice and a fearless approach, using sound to channel emotions from the delicate to the crude, from true pathos to irony and rage, bringing an element of surprise and a spirit of trickster mischief to the show.

Kirsten Thien’s authentic sound draws from the depths of old-school American soul and the driving power of blues, gospel, and rock-n-roll. Her clear and powerful voice stands out for its honesty, grounding the group’s sound in the rich traditions of American music.