We are so excited to reunite w/Mike Viola for this show! It's been 14 years (!!!!!) since we have opened for him. If you don't know him, YOU MUST! If you do know him, you know what a special evening this will be. LIMITED TIX still available.

Mike Viola is a producer, musician, songwriter and singer. Viola may be best known for his work with Panic! at the Disco, Andrew Bird, Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis, Fall Out Boy and Mandy Moore, but his solo career stands on its own starting with a number of acclaimed records as the leader of New York based cult favorite Candy Butchers and 7 critically adored Mike Viola records. His original music has been featured on soundtracks for movies such as That Thing You Do!, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Get Him to the Greek.

Denise Jones and Tom Sekscenski founded Inner Groove in 2010. Initially, the band started as a bar/cover band, but they soon began to add original songs to their setlist. Their songs are emotional portraits of people, love and faith, drawing inspiration from various genres such as folk, pop, rock and country.

SVE is coming out of our winter hibernation for a very special Sunday Matinee show at Cafe Nine! More details coming soon...

We were honored to record a song for the tribute to the late great James Velvet. Come here a whole slew of local bands perform the songs of James Velvet on Sunday March 30th.

Support Best Video Film & Cultural Center and enjoy music from an awesome lineup of New Haven area singer-songwriters. Suggested donation: $10 6:00 - Little Silver 6:30 - Derek Holcomb 7:00 - Sarah Dunn 7:30 - Stephen Peter Rodgers 8:00- Lys Guillorn 8:30 - Shellye Valauskas & Dean Falcone 9:00- Folk the Patriarchy 9:30- The Bargain

We are thrilled to be opening for Sixpence None The Richer on Halloween!

Sixpence None The Richer w/ The Shellye Valauskas Experience, Allie Burnet Thursday, October 31st 2024 @ Space Ballroom 7pm doors / All Ages Tickets on sale Fri at 10am: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sixpence-none-the-richer-tickets-1003188161797

Premier Concerts and Manic Presents:

SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER As the Rosemary Hill EP begins, Sixpence None the Richer’s first release since 2012, Leigh Nash sings, “In the eye of the storm, I’m gonna thread the needle.” Now three decades after Nash met her musical partner Matt Slocum in New Braunfels, Texas, Sixpence is threading the needle in the sweet spot they have often longed for throughout a stormy yet momentous career.

Slocum confesses that two of the six new songs are an attempt to immortalize their hometown: “New Braunfels was an amazing place to grow up… We could roam freely in the streets, from sunup to sundown.” Nash adds, “Meeting Matt is the most important thing that happened for me in New Braunfels.” That rings true for all of us; New Braunfels, Texas is the birthplace of Sixpence None the Richer, a great American rock ’n’ roll band.

While Sixpence has been Nashville-based for most of their career, Rosemary Hill reveals they are at heart a Texas band. The title track cites the street Slocum grew up on, as Nash sings Slocum’s words, “That was a long time ago - But the feelings, they don’t get old - Every time that I come home - I’ll be riding, I’ll be flying on Rosemary Hill - My Rosemary Hill.”

On another new Slocum composition “Homeland” Nash sings, “In my homeland - Once a child of the Texas hills - The way it pulls you back is giving me the chills.” Nash admits, “It's really gonna be difficult for me to sing ‘Homeland’ without getting choked up… Listening to it, I cry almost every time, just because there's so much…It's a beautiful song lyrically, but it's visceral. Like, I can smell, and, yeah, feel all those things from our homeland.”

While growing up in New Braunfels Nash dreamed of being a country singer (which has come to fruition in many ways, but most notably on her 2015 solo album The State I'm In), and Slocum feels Sixpence has been lyrically influenced by the brilliant Texas songwriter Guy Clark. But musically, Sixpence couldn’t be more different.

Sixpence None the Richer is a rock band. While primarily known for top-40 pop radio hits, Sixpence’s live show is full of guitar riffs, aggressive bass, and pounding drums. As Sixpence begins touring again for the first time since 2013, Nash says, “I want to come out swinging.” As their discography of six full-length albums and their new third EP Rosemary Hill reveals, Sixpence’s sound begins with Nash singing over Slocum’s guitar playing.

The driving force behind Slocum’s British-inspired, riff-based guitar rock is the creative rhythm section of bassist Justin Cary and drummer Dale Baker. After Sixpence had three bass players in five years in the mid-90’s, they were in need of another one in 1997 as their self-titled album neared release. Cary had recently moved to Nashville, and a friend told him about the opening in Sixpence. Cary grabbed a phone book and cold-called Slocum and has been an integral collaborator ever since. Despite playing with Sixpence for more than 25 years, Cary describes the present as the first time he has truly “owned it”. Cary says, “Just this year I really have taken the mantle and said, ‘I'm the bass player in this band.’”

2024 marks the return of Dale Baker, who last drummed for Sixpence in 2001. Baker was a core member of the band for eight years and played on the band’s most popular songs and albums. Like Nash and Slocum, Baker has roots in the Lone Star State, where he was a member of the One O’Clock Lab Band at the University of North Texas. In 2022, it became apparent to Slocum and Nash that not only did they want to write, record, and play shows as Sixpence again, but that it was important for Baker to be a part of it. Cary remarks, “Dale's a schooled musician. He understands the language. He understands the history…He's really approaching it as an orchestral musician where it's not just drums he's thinking about.” Baker says, “As soon as I sat down, we started playing the songs…it felt completely natural and authentic.” Baker confesses he is thrilled to be back, and that being the drummer in Sixpence is an important part of his musical identity.

A unique catalyst in Sixpence’s recent journey was the opportunity Slocum and Nash had to join the 10,000 Maniacs in 2023. Sixpence had opened for the 10,000 Maniacs in the early 90’s, but then Slocum and Nash were invited to become members of the band last year. Slocum says, “We got out there and started having fun…I was playing guitars, Leigh was singing, and it just kinda reminded us how much we enjoy it and that we're good at it… once we started feeling that kind of energy again, we wanted to continue it together.” Nash shares her thinking while on that tour: “Matt and I got to spend a lot of time together on the road, and it was fun! That was the best part for me, just getting to hang out with him and reconnect musically.” Playing with the 10,000 Maniacs reignited their passion for playing live, but they knew moving forward they wanted to do it as Sixpence None the Richer.

Four of the six songs on Rosemary Hill Slocum and Nash began working on during the pandemic. Nash was heavily impacted by the death of Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlessinger in 2020, and co-wrote “Julia” with Anna Vaus; both as a tribute to Schlessinger but also as a true story about a friend. Slocum, Baker, and Cary all expect “Julia” to be the highlight of future shows; Slocum says, “Everyone in the

rehearsal room lights up when practicing it.” Baker adds, “I really love ‘Julia’, I love a good pop song.” Cary describes it as “A great song! Man, I'm inside the lyrics.”

Another stand-out is “We Are Love”, which Sixpence is using as the title of their 2024 fall tour, and just might be the band’s mantra. Cary says, “It features everybody in a way…there's definitely drum moments, bass moments, vocal moments…the wall of harmony.” “We Are Love” opens with acapella vocal harmonies, moving to the drumming of Baker, then to a distinct guitar riff from Slocum, as Nash sings “Honeybee cluster - The heat of the hive - We are love -We can make it,” referencing the long-time beekeeping hobby of Slocum’s. The bridge can be credited to Armand Petri, who guided Cary to add mandolin, following Slocum’s dramatic guitar solo. Sixpence reconnected with Petri in the studio for the first time in nearly 30 years (1995’s This Beautiful Mess), being assisted this time around by Dave Fridmann in his Tarbox Road Studios in Western New York. Baker was thrilled to get back in the studio with Petri, this time with more experience. He says the recording was more collaborative as he is now more willing to share his opinions and ideas.

Rosemary Hill is produced by long-time friend and collaborator Steve Hindalong of The Choir. Slocum and Hindalong co-wrote “We Are Love”, and both are also members of the band The Ascendants, along with Jimmy Abegg, Phil Madeira, and Ben Pearson, who released their debut album in 2023. Baker worked closely with Hindalong in sessions two decades ago, and he says it was powerful to be able to reconnect; “To get to work with him again, I just didn't think that was ever gonna happen.”

“We have only gotten better, hopefully, at all of our crafts, our specific things that we do,” says Nash. “And so why would we stop? And that's the encouragement…I like where I am right now just as a human being, a mother, into my forties now. I like where I'm at. It's weird. It's kinda crazy. It's a little off balance, but it's inspiring to me, the things that are going on around me.” Baker agrees, “Isn't it beautiful to be alive right now? …Every day is such a gift, and I'm so grateful that we get to make music and create joy. And then just realizing how much this band means to me.”

After having a global number one hit, Sixpence no longer aspires for fame or fortune, and is not a nostalgia act. “We're not interested in just cashing in on the past”, says Nash. Slocum adds, “We’re trying to find the balance of experimenting and pushing our limits, but still satisfying the people that have loved our music all these years. Basically we want to keep making better records and writing better songs.”

Cary and Baker describe Sixpence as a family, with the relationships between the four of them as paramount. Cary says, “We're all more comfortable with each other just because we've lived through so much.” Baker elaborates, “It feels personal, but in a way that’s a gift. Relationships matter so much to me…The money, the trappings, all of that, the ego, like, none of that matters. So what do we have? It's the relationships…There's something about the collaborative nature of Sixpence that I still believe in; that our best work remains to be seen. …But for that collaboration to come through you you gotta have that level of connection.”

In “Thread the Needle” Nash sings, “Today I started wondering - How’d I get this far? Low down, tip of an iceberg - Still looking for stars.” The Rosemary Hill EP is the tip of the iceberg, and as Slocum says, “This definitely feels like act two; it’s a second wind.” Sixpence None the Richer is relaunching their career, not resurrecting the past. And it is clear Slocum, Nash, Baker and Cary all feel there may be more Sixpence songs ahead of them than there are behind.

Listen: https://www.sixpencenonethericher.com/

THE SHELLYE VALAUSKAS EXPERIENCE Based in the New Haven area, Shellye Valauskas & Dean Falcone write meticulously crafted power pop songs, with an emphasis on “power.” The songs hearken back to the finer moments of the 1970’s and 1980’s and are filled with sparkling melodies powered by sharp and often jangly electric guitars; think Big Star, The Raspberries and Aimee Mann. The latest release, History of Panic, is a collection of catchy choruses, swirly guitars and melodies that instantly draw you in and satisfy on every level.

In addition to Valauskas and Falcone, the current line up of the band includes Brian Stevens (Cavedogs) on bass, special guest Scott McDonald on drums and Bruce Crowder on keys and percussion.

ALLIE BURNET Allie Burnet's music will take you on a joyful, heartbreaking, nostalgic journey. Connect with both who you have been and who you want to be through her lilting melodies and her songs that stay with you long after the show.

Join us for an evening of stories, songs, food and beverages of all sorts! FREE/ALL AGES

Details coming soon!

GA tickets $25 advance (plus other tiers) $30 at door (no other tiers available then) Doors are at 6pm!

Special guests The Shellye Valauskas Experience perform an opening set from 7 - 7: 20pm

Jon starts at 7:45!

(PS: if you generously decide to spring for the “Request a Song” ticket, Jon will share a gargantuan list with you to choose from :-)

We are so excited to bring Jon Auer of Big Star & The Posies to Best Video Film & Cultural Center ahead of the U.S. Big Star Radio City 50th Anniversary Tour. SVE will be opening the show at 7PM sharp. Jon will be joining us on some songs and we will be joining him on some songs. Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear his incredible songs in an intimate setting. Limited tix available now!

Former Posies co-founder/singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jon Auer's notable career started at the age of 17 in Bellingham, WA where the Posies first record Failure (featuring the Jon-composed "I May Hate You Sometimes" ) was recorded and mixed by a teenage Jon in his home studio after school and on weekends. Two years later The Posies signed a deal with DGC/Geffen and ultimately recorded three records for the prominent label, including Dear 23 (featuring the Jon-composed singles "Suddenly Mary" and “Golden Blunders”, the latter eventually covered by former Beatle Ringo Starr) and the landmark Frosting on the Beater, which included Auer's classic singles "Dream All Day", "Flavor of the Month", and “Definite Door” as well as his dark and epic deep cut "Coming Right Along" (featured in the film of The Basketball Diaries and praised by Jim Carroll himself). A key player in the former Posies songwriting force, Jon also wrote “Going, Going, Gone” for the 3 million-plus selling Reality Bites soundtrack.

In addition, Auer is a critically-acclaimed solo artist and his solo record Songs From The Year Of Our Demise was named one of the best releases of 2006 by NPR and given 4 stars in UNCUT magazine. Auer toured the globe to support SFTYOOD as an extremely well-received one-man troubadour-style show, his songs and stories side by side. Jon was also a member of the re-formed Big Star for 17 years and continued to perform as part of Big Star's Third after Alex Chilton's passing in 2010. In 2004, Jon spent time at Ardent Studios in Memphis helping write and record Big Star's album In Space, contributing (among others) "Lady Sweet" and co-writing "February's Quiet" with Jody Stephens. In 2022, Jon joined Stephens, Mike Mills (REM), Chris Stamey (The dBs), and Pat Sansone (Wilco) for a much-praised tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of Big Star's #1 Record and this same five-piece lineup toured Spain in November of 2023 as well to a rapturous reception. Now dubbed The Big Star Quintet, 2024 will see the five musicians taking the stage together again in celebration of Big Star's Radio City in the US and the EU and UK as well.

Auer has also nurtured a sizable production career having produced and/or mixed records for the likes of Love Battery, Truly, The Best Kissers in the World, Sky Cries Mary, Pond, Gnome, The Squirrels, You Am I, Redd Kross, Awesome, Cheap Star, and Spiral Stairs (of Pavement) and the Sub Pop label and also spent time in Nashville playing on the Ben Folds' produced William Shatner record Has Been.

Shellye Valauskas and guitarist Dean Falcone make their return to downtown Hartford with a special duo set. Hartford.com’s Audio Feed is a free, lunchtime music series taking place inside the State House Square food court. Audio Feed is made possible through a Hartford Creates Grant courtesy of the Greater Hartford Arts Council.

Shellye and Dean join The New Haven Independent's Paul Bass for the tiniest desk concert ever. We will talk about upcoming shows, the new recording and a bunch of other nonsense, as well as play a few songs live in the studio. Tune In!

To celebrate the majesty of Camper Van Beethoven, a supergroup of New Haven musicians will perform a selection of the band’s songs from the 1980’s through the 2010’s. Band members include Bill Fryer (GFlatMinor), Kedric Becker (Bad Assets, Russ Becker Quartet), Bruce Crowder (Shellye Valauskas Experience, Cryptones), Caroline Kendall, Sarah Dunn (Sarah Dunn and Band, Corpse Flower), Rebecca Scotka (Vomettes), Elaine DiMasi (Vomettes), Steve Gambini (New Cardiff Giants, Mighty Fighting Cocks), Kevin Day (gigglejuice), Dustin Kreidler (Fusilaje, Vomit Horns), and Cary Pollick (The Big Fat Combo, The Danglers). Special guests include singer-songwriter Brian Larney, Dave Schneider (Zambonis, LeeVees),Shellye Valauskas (Shellye Valauskas Experience), Jeffrey Thunders (Lost Riots, Mitch Kramer), Christopher Bousquet (American Elm), and Mark Zaretsky (Cobalt Rhythm Kings, Chicago Dawgs).

SVE are psyched to be performing at the annual Meriden Daffodil Festival this year! Over the last 4 years we've been invited to play 5 times, and 4 of those 5 times were cancelled due to COVID or weather. Let's hope for better luck this year! We play the welcome stage at 2:30PM.