Say Darling & Soggy Po Boys
Friday, February 10
Show: 8p | Doors: 7p
Tickets: $20 ($2 Service Charge Included With Online Tickets. All sales are final, no ticket refunds or exchanges. Seats are on a first-come, first-serve basis, and seats are not guaranteed with ticket purchase.)
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In 2016, old friends Celia Woodsmith and Chris Hersch found themselves taking a temporary step back from their international touring projects.
Grammy-Nominated singer and songwriter Celia Woodsmith – of the acclaimed bluegrass band Della Mae – and critically lauded guitarist Chris Hersch formerly of the alt. country rock band Girls Guns & Glory, had each independently decided to relax their rigorous schedules, both ending up back home in New England with time on their hands.
These two road warriors and workaholics didn't last long before delving into a new and exciting project: Say Darling.
Blending distinctive original songs with classic tunes that pay homage to a shared musical heritage, Say Darling evokes the funky drive of Little Feat, the moving vocals of Bonnie Raitt and the instrumental prowess of the Tedeschi-Trucks Band.
Hersch, who was voted amongst the best roots guitar players nationwide by The Alternate Root, leads the band with melodic support and blistering solos, while Scott Coulter is virtuosic on the Hammond B3. Paul Chase on bass and Jared Seabrook on drums round out the rhythm section, making Say Darling a 'lethal combination of all-star musicians'(Manchester Ink) from the New England roots rock scene.
The quintet can go from pin-drop silence to a cascading roar in the span of one song, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.
In the Spring of 2020, as the world was shutting down, members of Say Darling, once again, found themselves with plenty of time on their hands. With nothing to do but shape new originals Chris Hersch, Celia Woodsmith and Paul Chase learned the basics of recording, editing and mixing at home.
The result of their labor is “Before & After” a 9 song EP that spans over two years time, one studio and five different households in the making. Five of the songs on the new album were written in the carefree years before the pandemic, and four written as touring, performing and recording came to a screeching halt.
“There was so much to address in those first few months of the pandemic; the loss of a career, friendships and feelings of loneliness but also the social justice movement sparked by the death of George Floyd” Woodsmith Says “I wanted this album to read and sound like a time capsule.”
Released March 5th, the album was included on the Boston Globe’s list of “Nine albums by local artists that have gotten the year off to an exciting start”
“Although New Hampshire isn’t the most obvious home for a group so devoted to the culture of The Big Easy, the Soggy Po’ Boys seem genuine in their ambition to spread the word about jazz New Orleans style, and they’re creating an accessible and fun way into this world.”
The Soggy Po Boys, native to New England, have quickly become an institution. They are spreading the good news of New Orleans music across the northeast and beyond, playing at concert halls and street corners; music festivals and burlesque festivals; bars and libraries; wherever the party requires. Part of the beauty of New Orleans music is that it's celebrated and appreciated wherever it goes, from the street to the theater.
The Po Boys formed in 2012 to shake the walls of a local club on a Fat Tuesday but have honed their sound and become more than a Mardi Gras centerpiece. Exploring the vast musical traditions of New Orleans and expanding their repertoire to look beyond NOLA jazz, the band includes traditional Caribbean tunes (it’s been said that New Orleans is the northernmost city in the Caribbean), as well as Meters funk, soul, and brass band / street beat music. “...These guys have done their homework, worked it out on the bandstand and put in the hours in the studio. It all adds up to a party you can bring with you when you want to treat your friends to a real good time.” -Ben Schenck of New Orleans’ Panorama Jazz Band”.There are a myriad of traditions that flow into New Orleans culture just as there are tributaries that feed the Mississippi, and the Po Boys are eager to explore what makes the music of New Orleans so damn special. You’ll hear the heavy influence of the New Orleans sound across the band and in the stories told by their original tunes. Despite the scope of its sound, the outfit is only seven people, and thrives on the interplay and group dynamics that bring this music to life.