Haidee J is the co-founder of the Boston-based band Double Star, which she formed with Dave Kurimsky. The band as is described by the Somerville Arts Council: “Double Star mixes punk riffs, high-energy horns, and lush harmonies to create pop tunes that defy easy categorization.”
Here is a historical bio of Double Star courtesy of Haidee J:
“I think I can write a song around that” Haidee said to Dave, when he shared some half-finished guitar riffs with her. It was a cloudy, cool day in March when these two seasoned musicians, both veterans of a number of bands on the East and West coasts, got together for coffee at Jamaica Plain’s iconic, cow-themed ice cream parlor.
Just two weeks later, their first song was complete; State Line, a song about a road trip along the Northern California coast, a favorite activity of Haidee’s when she lived in Portland, OR.
Before too long, these rising double stars had enough material to start filling out the band with bass, drums, and another multi instrumentalist female on keys/synth, saxophone, backing vocals, and percussion.
Inspired by the feelings that are stirred by the various chords and rhythms of Dave’s and her guitars, Haidee’s lyrics run the gamut from drug addict breakups in Holding Hands is For Lovers and Small Children, to surviving a hurricane in Thoughts and Prayers Are Not Enough. She also touches on standing up for yourself (Say Something Now), escaping the boredom of a small town (Small Town) and hearing voices (Late at Night Inside My Head).
Double Star was born and has been taking the Boston music scene by (solar) storm with their catchy melodies, pop sensibilities, and lovably quirky arrangements. Like a double star in the sky, that appears to be one star until you look closer, Double Star may surprise you!
Questions
What brought you to Boston?
I grew up in Brookline, then moved out to the West Coast for about 10 years after college, before deciding to move back East to be closer to family. I was in a band for six years in Portland, OR. We had some local success, playing the main stage at Portland’s Pride Festival, an audience of thousands. On the downside, we handed out CDs for free, but they had been burned on an early computer CD burner and didn’t work in most players. We also weren’t marketing savvy, and this was pre-Facebook etc., so struggled to build a big fanbase. Once back in Boston I kept my eye out and played with numerous people and bands until I met Dave and we formed Double Star.
Haidee J Photo by Caroline Elizabeth Photography
Have you experienced a strong scene for Queer women and gender expansive folx in Boston in terms of music/performers etc?
Not really, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. I identify as a rock musician first, and a woman in rock 2nd. I can’t say I go out of my way to seek out queer oriented events. We applied to play at some pride events this past year and didn’t get in, or even hear back from some of them. The one we were invited to play at in the suburbs we couldn’t make.
Do you have any sense of a history of a Queer scene in the city?
I do have a sense of a history of a Queer scene in the City, mostly that there are gay clubs, for dancing, and of course, annual Pride month and related events.
Haidee J and Double Star photo by Caroline Elizabeth Photography
Are there any venues or spaces that have been particularly influential or accommodating?
Accommodating to queer or gender expansive artists, I can’t really think of any in particular. Nor can I think of any that felt unaccommodating. Some of my favorite venues have been Aeronaut brewing, both the Allston outdoor and Somerville locations, the Square Root in Roslindale, and the Midway Café in JP of course. We had our first show there and play there a few times a year. I’m amazed at how stable the staff has remained, even through Covid, and they are always friendly and seem happy to have us back. Also, shout out to the JP Music Fest. We had a blast playing there in 2022, the sound system was amazing, and I loved that they sold your merch for you. That felt like a Boston area highlight for us.
Are there any artists in the Boston scene or elsewhere that you admire or who have inspired your own music?
Yeah, definitely. Some of my favorite local bands to play with include Threat Level Burgundy, CE Skidmore and the Damn Fine Band, The Skirts, Pink Slip, The Spots, Battlemode, AZNjujube, Why Try?. I’m know there are more, but off the top of my head, those bands share our energy; some are ska which we draw from significantly, some are quirky but also poppy like us, and some have queer members, with whom I feel an affinity.
Do you think things are getting better for Queer performers or are there still barriers to overcome?
I haven’t noticed any barriers for me or my band. I feel like the arts scene in Boston proper is very Queer-friendly. I wear a shirt and tie for every show and have never gotten so much as a sideways glance.
photo by Caroline Elizabeth Photography
What advice would you give to a Queer person thinking about getting into music?
Same advice I’d give anyone, Do it! Don’t be afraid. If it’s something you love and can do, it’s a powerful art form.
Are there any other current or former bands, solo artists, or DJs you would like to see featured by QWIMB?
Have you talked to CE Skidmore and the Damn Fine Band? We played with them once and saw them another time and they’re fantastic and queer-fronted. Also, Battlemode. Also the Spots.
Leigh Cheri is a Boston-based noise pop band. Vox: Kelsie Hogue, Guitar: Mike Levinsohn, Bass: Chris Centeno, Drums: Billy Nichols
QWIMB gave Kelsie some questions to answer about Boston and queerness. Here’s what she came up with:
What brought you to Boston?
I came here for Boston University’s BFA Acting program which I just graduated from last Spring.
Have you experienced a strong scene for queer women in the city in terms of music/performers etc?
I’m still in the discovery process of that. I’ve experienced great spaces in JP, Somerville, and Allston, and awesome festivals like Smash It Dead and takeover nights like Queeraoke (which we’re playing Halloween week!!). Always on the boi scout for more, never too many queers in one room!!
Do you have any sense of a history of a queer scene in the city?
That’s something I’d like to know more about. Tutors/den mothers welcome!!
What made you decide to join a band?
Lisa Simpson whispered to me through the television via her saxophone when I was five.
Are there any artists that you look up to or who have inspired your own music?
Yoni Wolf of Why? is my favorite lyricist of all time. I think Gerard Way is my generation’s misunderstood Freddie Mercury and was in retrospect my third femme boy crush (behind Axl Rose and Peter Pan). I bless the satin-lined riffs of kweens like Mariah, Christina and Whitney (RIP queen). Big Boi is the most underrated rapper, Kendrick is just plain important, Mykki Blanco is fucking shit up in the best way, and Missy Elliot is the most powerful bulldyke in the game. Comedians Tim and Eric and Tig Notaro made high school and college better. Queer/Trans activists/artists Darkmatter and Kat Blaque continue to teach me a lot.
Do think things are getting better for queer female performers or are there still barriers to overcome?
I think in large part to the Riot Grrrl Movement, things have gotten fairly better for white queer girl/genderqueer performers. As one myself, it’s a constant conversation understanding the layers of privilege I benefit from in performance settings. I have easily performed nude/barely clothed in both music and theatre spaces. The degradation I receive is in the form of sexualization or my queerness being written off as a trend/experiment. While those are still things to challenge of course, that’s nothing compared to the every day micro-aggressions towards QPOC to the rapidly rising murders of Trans Women of Color (a matter nearly neglected by mainstream media). I’m interested in listening and supporting Q/TWOC musicians specifically, as I think there is work to be done with creating a safer and more visible space for everyone (both in the music scene and in general). I would love to see the conversation begin with intersectionality, instead of sidelining it as can tend to happen in white-centric queer spaces.
Are you in any other bands?
I have two queer as hell side projects in the works called Pillow Queen (with Birthing Hips’ Carrie Furniss) and CHOIRBOI (with Anjimile’s Anji Chithambo), Mike (guitarist) and Chris (bassist) play with gRAD pARTy, and our drummer Billy Nichols has a solo project under his name.
What has been your proudest moment as a member of a band?
Playing our first live show this past April; file under “v tender.”
What advice would you give to a woman thinking about starting a band or learning an instrument?
Let me know if you need to borrow my bass or guitar!! Find allies in the scene (swipe right on me bb)!! Let’s make this scene too queer for its own good!!
Are there any other current or former bands you would like to see featured by QWIMB?
I’m gonna give Anjimile and Birthing Hips a #double #shout #out
Wanna get to know Leigh Cheri better? Check out the links.
Unstraight formed through a blaze of social media and dyke marches and friends of friends. Their music, simultaneously introspective and ringing with clarity, beckons you to connect and wills you to ponder the tenuous nature of relationships and all that you want from life. Unstraight coaxes the wishes out of your imagination and channels them into instruments and amplifiers, pouring sound into your ears until you’re moving your body not knowing why.
Jen on drums, Emily on bass, Katie on guitar, Lizzy on synth, and Madeleine on vocals: together they push the boundaries of alternative rock to the edges, with intertwining ribbons of electronic, punk, and garage. “Clarity” owns the first love song lyrics that Madeleine ever wrote, which pull at you, leaving you wanting more. “Not Close Enough” and “Show Me” tangle with hidden desires, and “Make Up Your Mind” simply wishes certain people would just make up their damn minds and expresses that through a variety of time signatures. And “Words to Seduce You,” well, music is going to save your soul and this song knows it.
The meaning of the band’s name is two-fold; one is blatantly queer and the other that Unstraight does not walk the common path. Walk with them–they already love you for it.
Unstraight is all women, all queer, and all you ever wanted. (bio courtesy the band)
Q&A WITH QWIMB
What brought you to Boston?
Madeleine: I came here for grad school in psych and stayed to pursue music, which is what I’m actually supposed to be doing with my life! Emily came for work as well I believe (she is a post-doc in math at Harvard), and Lizzy and Katie grew up in this general area. Jen has lived all over the country and finally found a home in the Boston area, where two of her siblings also live.
Have you experienced a strong scene for queer women in the city in terms of music/performers etc?
Madeleine: When I first moved to Boston and right up until I formed Unstraight, I was in the punk rock band The Furiousity. In that band I had my first taste of what a sense of community in the music scene could be like. When I put together Unstraight, having had that experience I actively sought out a queer music community. While it does exist in some ways it could always be stronger and more present. That is part of the reason that I put on the Big Queer Show (next one: June 6th—Pride Kickoff Party!) collaborating with Mad Femme Pride; I want there to be events in Boston (and beyond?) where the focus is queer music and musicians.
Do you have any sense of a history of a queer scene here or is the past a faded memory?
Madeleine: I’ve only been in Boston about 6 years and was just fully coming out when I arrived, so I’m not sure I’m qualified to answer this question. However, I’ve found a really fantastic network of musicians, queers, artists, performers, queer organizations, and other awesome queer people and allies since I’ve been here and I think they and the events they are involved in really make the queer scene what it is.
Beyond dance nights, like many of Dyke Night’s events, Queeroke, and Zuesdays which I love and are absolutely necessary and appreciated, I think there is a need for other queer spaces and performances which many large events like Big Queer Show, The Femme Show, Genrequeer, Traniwreck, and smaller events like book clubs and discussion groups and craft nights try to fill. As far as history goes, event organizers of the past and present have one very formidable enemy: the couch. Come out and do things, queers and friends!
What made you decide to join a band?
Madeleine: I didn’t just want to join a band; I wanted to make one. I wanted to find musicians who could help me take the music that is in my mind and heart and release it to the rest of the world. I wanted my bandmates to be dedicated, passionate, honest and forthright, and more talented than me. And queer. I basically wanted the (nearly) impossible and got it, and I think anyone can, really, with perseverance.
I’m really grateful to now have a talented platonic musicwife in Katie, who basically has the same music brain as me. We write songs collaboratively and we just both kind of know when our parts (and sometimes when the other person’s parts) are right. We agree 98% of the time, and it’s kind of magical. Jen, Emily, and our new synth player, Lizzy, also seem to really understand the music in a way that I’m continuously amazed at; we give feedback openly, but so much of it seems to be instinctive. I’m lucky. Really lucky.
Katie: I was extremely impressed and inspired when I first heard Madeleine sing. As the lead singer of her previous band The Furiousity, I immediately noticed her talent, technical ability, and the pure quality of her voice—how it stands out and shines.
Perhaps love at first note?
We both spoke about how we are both classically trained and enjoy the opera. I think I asked her “Want to jam sometime?” and she invited me on her conquest to form an all-women all-queer band. Best decision ever.
We began writing music together and we’ve been creating some of my absolute favorite music in existence. Yeah it’s pretty awesome to be a member in one of your favorite bands! Jen, Emily and Lizzy are all such incredible musicians with improvisational skills and natural instincts, so everything just flows nicely. Madeleine continues to impress and inspire me with her beautifully crafted vocal melodies. I am beyond blessed to make music with all of these lovely ladies.
Jen: This is the second “lesbian” or queer band I was “recruited” into. This one, by Madeleine, who knew an acquaintance of mine, who had heard me play drums with the former band. I knew Katie beforehand, but I only knew of her impressive DJ skills – not that she was also a phenomenal guitarist who pulls Santana-esque riffs out of thin air, noodles Nintendo worthy segues and writes songs that Tool would be honored to perform, due to multiple, rapid-fire time signature and tempo changes.
And yet, I have a very hard time answering the questions “Who do you sound like? What is your style?” The first thing I noticed about Madeleine (besides her Harajuku girls style, for lack of a better term), was her Amy Lee of Evanescence style ethereal vocals which float over our much harder (though still not hardcore) music. And Emily – well, Emily impresses constantly. I call her the “band genius”. I learn new things about Emily all the time, and at this point, I’m no longer shocked, though I am continually impressed. Her skills seem to know no bounds, AND, bonus point, she keeps us on point during practices! Lizzy – let’s just say she fills out the band both with music and personality and I’m happy to announce we have decided to be music-wives. Emily will have to decide if she wants a music wife – we may have to have a wife threesome. When I heard Lizzy’s synth with our music – it was the “Aha!” moment – with eyes bugged out, and screaming “YES!”. The way that we practice, the way that we endeavor to perform, the way that we record – it is with the intent to be as professional as we can be. We mean to be taken seriously, but we are also having a lot of fun doing it!
Are there any artists that you look up to or who have inspired your own music?
Madeleine: For sound influence, I love Sahara Hotnights, Garbage, and Florence and the Machine, among many others. I also really look up to The Shondes, Amanda Palmer, and Melissa Ferrick—they are really making it DIY style and I really admire that.
Katie: I am inspired by many different styles ranging from classical to indie rock to metal to electronic to folk and more. Notable artists for me are Mozart, Tool, Bjork, Arcade Fire, Pantera, Rodrigo y Gabriela, DFRNT, Fleet Foxes, Juana Molina, The XX and Florence and the Machine.
Jen: I’ve never been into names: brands, celebrities or otherwise. But there have been a few artists that really get that sound that tugs at me and compels me to look them up (at different points in my life). I would say Juliette Lewis, MSMR, The White Stripes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Flyleaf, Bush and Gossip are a short list of bands/musicians that I look up to. I have a lot of respect for any artist that writes his/her own music and sounds great live, though. Shoutout to Kristen Ford and her amazing band, who are writing and performing amazing, original music live right here in the Boston Metro area!
Emily: I’m rarely able to identify an artist I hear on the radio – and this is even if I “know” the song well enough to sing the harmony. When Madeleine recruited me, she included links to music by three artists I’d never heard of. I love it when my bandmates share music with me. I’m learning a lot.
Do you think things are getting better for queer female performers or are there still barriers to overcome?
Madeleine: It’s better, but I feel like I/we live in a sort of bubble here in Boston. There are still many, many barriers to overcome; when I toured with my last band I got kind of sick of hearing “Oh man, you are pretty good for girls.” In this band we are both all women and all queer; double the chances for some sort of disparaging homophobic or sexist comment. I just like to think of it as double the opportunity to really unexpectedly blow someone away and change their minds and hearts, if just a little, in how they feel about queers and women in general.
Are you in any other bands?
Madeleine: No, but if I could quit my day job and do music exclusively I probably would at least have a side project or two. Or perhaps not be so terribly behind on band promotional work!
What has been your proudest moment as a member of a band?
Madeleine: I have had so many proud moments, but I think my next proudest moment will be when we can finally release our EP to the world this fall. Right now we have some great demo tracks, but to finally have a tangible item that people can purchase and hold in their hand, to finally have something I want to send to everyone I’ve ever met and just say—hey LISTEN, that will be my proudest moment yet.
What advice would you give to a woman thinking about starting a band or learning an instrument?
Madeleine: You want to? Start. Learn the instrument that resonates with you. Learn it and study it and love it. Find others who share your passion, they are out there. I volunteer for Ladies Rock Camp Boston for just that reason—women belong in music and queers do too. There is space for everyone; this is not a competition. Go to shows, say hello, meet people, be part of the world you want to be part of. The only thing stopping you is you.
It’s all that you ever dreamed of in a show, and now it has come back as a fabulous kick off party to your Pride week! This show/party will not only start with some friendly Mad Femme Pride-led mixing and mingling, but will follow with four fantastic queer bands, dancing between sets and after the last band until 1 a.m.!
Band Without Hands was a plan hatched in Vacationland… which quickly grew from Brien Sweet and Jess Jacobs working with samples and drum machines to a rock monster additionally fueled by Nick Martinelle’s double kicking feet and John McKusick’s guitar wizardry. Brien and Jess have written and performed together off and on for more than a decade, with this recent project being a much needed outlet for strong emotions and responses to our very complicated world. At once political and emotionally vulnerable, the hard rock fabric is interwoven with elements of new wave, industrial, and trip hop, creating a unique sound that blows doors off venues and minds out of skulls. With members influenced by pretty much every genre under the sun, Band Without Hands draws from a vast palette to create cohesive, intriguing, adrenaline-fueled social and emotional commentary. BWH is independent in the sense that they self-record, self-produce, and self-promote, and work damn hard at it. The band loves playing live, loves supporting our brothers and sisters in our beloved music scene, and loves connecting with area musicians and music lovers alike! (Bio Courtesy of the band)
QWIMB asked band member Jess Jacobs to answer some questions for us, and here is what she said:
What brought you to Boston?
Most of us grew up in the area; Jess and Brien grew up in Merrimack NH, John in Pepperell MA, and Nick on Long Island. It was a natural migration from Southern NH for us art and music (and queer culture!) seekers.
Have you experienced a strong scene for queer women in the city in terms of music/performers etc?
I have met many queer lady performers, but I haven’t yet experienced a solidly organized community in that sense – we perform frequently with Unstraight, an all-queer band, (catch us both June 6th at Copperfield’s for a seriously awesome pride kickoff party) but I would love to start or contribute to a more formal organization of us queer entertainers.
Photo by Lindsey Boyer
Do you have any sense of a history of a queer scene here or is the past a faded memory?
It seems to me that there were a lot of scenes here that somehow have dried up after years of corporate takeover and rising property values. Everybody suffers when the art/music scene is starved out of existence, but I think it impacts the queer community heavily because they are typically very intertwined. I also think that the queer community suffers the same plight. I remember going to places like ManRay when I was younger and it was such a great place for everyone to have, and nothing has really come along to replace it. I’m sad to see local venues disappear or get absorbed by national interests, and I’m sad to see places being forced out of business by circumstance and lack of revenue; I guess it’s hard to compete with Netflix. But the people that ARE out seeing shows, buying merch, playing indie bands on their radio shows and car stereos, spreading the word about great art and music, all of us together are building this really vibrant and friendly community and it’s very exciting.
What made you decide to join a band?
I never decided to join a band, per se. I’ve been playing and writing music for more than two decades, so it’s always been a part of my life. This particular band, I came back from living far away for a number of years and really wanted to take the reigns and all of my experience with the industry and see what the hell I could make happen. Brien and I happened to grab a beer very soon after I was back in town and he wanted to do the same thing, so we teamed up.
Are there any artists that you look up to or who have inspired your own music?
Absolutely! I personally really look up to bold artists who aren’t afraid to challenge the norm in terms of musical style or message. Trent Reznor, Zack de la Rocha, Tori Amos, PJ Harvey, Bjork, Karen O. I grew up listening to lots of new wave and electronica, along with 90s rock, Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, that kind of thing. There’s also a huge chunk of ambient, like Boards of Canada, and classical music, primarily modern classical, from playing in concert bands and orchestras. It’s a widely varied pastiche, for sure. Tegan and Sara are a recent acquisition in my catalog (amazingly, I know, where have I been), and I really look up to them as queer performers and songwriters.
photo by Lindsey Boyer
Do think things are getting better for queer female performers or are there still barriers to overcome?
I definitely think things have gotten better, and are getting better, but there will always be certain types of harassment – and that’s true regardless of sexual preference. I’ve played shows and been followed around by the – to put it nicely – very typical dude who won’t respect your sexuality for hours, and it gets to a point where you feel unsafe sometimes, so we all have to stick together. I started carrying a pocket knife, for what it’s worth.
Are you in any other bands?
I am not in any other bands at this time; however, I’m working with Unstraight on their upcoming release, doing production and mixing work.
What has been your proudest moment as a member of a band?
I honestly continue to experience my proudest moment every time we step on stage. We put in a lot of effort and the payoff is huge, when I see the audience having a great time – that’s the most proud I’ll ever be, always. It’s not a one sided satisfaction, like “oh, i’m playing my songs on stage” – we’re there to facilitate a great time and hopefully connect with people, remind everyone of the all too oft forgotten universal bonds that hold us all together like loving arms. And maybe, just maybe, inspire questioning of authority and culture.
photo by Lindsey Boyer
What advice would you give to a woman thinking about starting a band or learning an instrument?
Cliche, but don’t be afraid what anyone else thinks, especially not in the beginning, whether of an instrument or of a band. Find your bond with an instrument – find that texture that just draws you in, soothes you. The love you pour into an instrument – or band – like that, it feeds that bond. Then when you go to step on stage, you won’t be terrified and nervous, because you know you can rely on your instrument and/or your band.
Are there any other current or former bands you would like to see featured by QWIMB?
Unstraight and Petty Morals come to mind!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Want to hear the band Play Live?
upcoming shows: (2014)
5/24 Opening round of FSA Rompetition at Dover Brick House, Dover NH
6/1 Midway Cafe (matinee show)
6/6 Copperfield’s with Unstraight and Mad Femme Pride – Pride kickoff!
Bio from Facebook: “Menacing, pubesenct, black hearts.”
QWIMB asked the Fur Purse women some questions about life, love, and the pursuit of fur purses and here is what they had to say:
What brought you to Boston and how long have you lived here?
Eve, Claire and Amy were all summoned to planet Earth at different times, but for the same reason: to be in Fur Purse. Eve arrived in Boston first, having appeared to have been born and bred here. Amy showed up in Boston not long after Eve first appeared, and did a bunch of stuff while biding her time. Claire is the one who is still the most jet lagged.
Why did you form Fur Purse, what brought you all together?
Destiny cannot be denied, everybody knows this! Inexorable forces, that’s what. What more can we tell you? Do you really expect us to understand these forces? That is similar to us asking, “Why are you, Tina, so deadpanning-ly funny?”
Do you think there’s a good scene/community in Boston for queer female musicians?
We think it is amazing!! You go queer female musicians!!!
No seriously, even though we don’t believe in labeling ourselves, we know, enjoy, are amazed and are grateful for the INCREDIBLY strong female presence in Boston Indie Rock!!! It gives us strength and courage!
Why do you think it was ordained 1000’s of years ago that the three of us would end up at these very particular coordinates as Fur Purse? If you don’t believe what we are saying is true, then you probably think Ladies Rock Camp is a hoax too.
Fur Purse has Peeps
Have you noticed any trends in the scene, i.e. is it better or worse now than it used to be?
Based on the analysis of the data we each have been transmitting continuously from the BostonMA area back to our source originations, there has a steep increase in people of the non-male persuasion playing instruments, singing and thrusting their pelvises on-stage in clubs and halls around town. Marked increase. Preliminary analysis points to probable cause/influence as likely being an organization, a camp, if you will, that is for ladies who want to rock.
Eve and Claire at The Cantab
Are there any artists who have inspired you musically or personally?
Amy: Cindy Wonderfulis someone who really helped light the way for me on this crazy zoom zoom wheee! Eve sends props to all the great performers, like David Bowie, or Boston’s own Deb Nicholson. Claire says The Haggard broke all the rules and changed her dna forever.
Have you been in other bands before Fur Purse?
Do you BFP? What is BFP? This is an illogical concept.
When and how did you get started playing music?
Amy started on air guitar first, then switched to a material, physical guitar at some point, because it’s louder and therefore sounds better. Claire first started on the sewing machine at her mother’s behest. Once she mastered that sewing machine, her mother said she had “earned the right to hit things really hard”. Eve started singing in her dreams, and continues to this day. Shhhh don’t wake her up.
Claire and Amy at the Milky Way
How did you come up with the name Fur Purse : ) ?
Goddammit! It is not what you and some other people think!! How can we ever get that through to you people! We are going to keep protesting this until you believe us!
No – “Fur Purse” is really just a term for a sort of small-ish container into which people put things, in order to carry them around. Like if you were a trader in the 1850’s on the Oregon Trail you would likely have a fur purse. or maybe if you were a fancy lady in out on the town in the present day. OK?
…I think that’s it. Again, if there’s a question you’d really like to answer feel free to add it on.
Yeah here are some questions I think we should answer:
What is best thing about being in band? #1 Groupies #2 Feelings
What is worst thing about being in band? Feelings
What advice would you give to people who want to start a band? Just do it and don’t look back!
Brief Awakening is an all female original alternative rock trio featuring: piano, djembe, drums, acoustic guitar, and bass. In September 2008, Brief Awakening danced into the Boston music scene playing numerous clubs and events such as The Middle East, The Midway, and Wake up the Earth Festival. With unique instrumentation and dual-lead female vocals rich with harmony; Brief Awakening’s sound has been compared to Belle and Sebastian, Fiona Apple and many things in between. Lyrical subjects range from to poetically personal to the fight for equality and justice for all people. Since 2009, Brief Awakening has been organizing a seasonal event called Goddess Fest which brings together musicians, poets, and artists to perform and celebrate women in the arts. (write up courtesy of Kat Arrants)
PRESS: “[Brief Awakening’s Goddess Fest] is lasting proof that all you need to make an evening is some great people in a great space, playing great music.” J. Patrick Brown – The Weekly Dig
“Brief Awakening’s songs are energetic, positive, and driven with substantial depth behind each note and chord.” Emily Smith – The Noise
For other upcoming shows and news check out their Facebook page HERE
To listen to some songs, check out their ReverbNation page HERE
Check out this video of Brief Awakening performing at Big Night Out at the Burren in Somerville, MA on 5/16/11
