Event Detail
Modern Underground Hosted by Laura Tsaggaris with Rebecca Loebe and Timothy Bracken
Thursday, August 5, 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM · Add to Calendar
Ebenezers Coffeehouse
First Thursdays. Acoustic Music. On the Hill.
Hosted by Laura Tsaggaris with special guests each month.
Modern Underground is an acoustic music showcase bringing some of the nation’s best talent to the best listening room in D.C. the first Thursday of every month. Each month includes short solo sets by DC’s own Laura Tsaggaris and the featured artists, followed by a session “in-the-round” where all players take the stage and trade songs and stories.
August 5th - Rebecca Loebe & Timothy Bracken
September 2nd - Barnaby Bright & Abby Ahmad
October 7th - Guest Host: Rebecca Loebe, Raina Rose, Chris Velan
The path to Keep Talking, the new record by Laura Tsaggaris on Overtime Records, is an inspiring tale of self-discovery. Seemingly out of nowhere, an artist has arrived fully evolved. But Laura’s true story is a saga of toiling under the radar until the day her music was ready to be heard.
Born in Reading, Pa. and raised in Pittsburgh, Laura’s early life gave few indications of her eventual calling. While working at a Washington, D.C. law firm, Laura recorded her first record, Proof, in 2005. The title is a telling indication of where Laura’s life was headed. With this work, she now had proof of what she had always suspected--she was an artist the world needed to hear. Galvanized by the reaction to her debut, Laura embarked on a tour of the country to promote the album and launch her career as a performer. After the cycle of touring ended in 2008, Laura began working on Keep Talking. From the cautionary “Warning Signs” to the life-affirming “Get Yourself Right” to the hyper-personal “Pilots”, Keep Talking is a rare effort that rocks, soothes and inspires.
Cost: $7
For more information, visit http://www.myspace.com/lauratsaggaris
with Rebecca Loebe
Website: http://www.rebeccaloebe.com/
Rebecca been on the road, making her living as a full time touring indie folk singing songwriter for about three years, give or take (depending on how flexible you’re willing to be in your definition of “a living,” I guess). Before thatshe was a part-time touring folk singer and a part time recording studio engineer. Before that a full time recording studio engineer (also, at times, a part time cash register specialist at Whole Foods, a college student, a bank teller, the token female on the tech crew, a terrible waitress, Ruth in the Pirates of Penzance and a host of other things). As a rule she tries not to put much stock in defining a person by their profession - a dangerous tendency that we have in this culture, I think - “but since my brain, my heart, my music, my life, my ego, my livelihood and my identity are all kind of rolled up in one volatile little package that I load into a station wagon, drive all over the country and hoist on stage every night, it’s sometimes hard to avoid. I’m working on it.”
Press
CREATIVE LOAFING - Atlanta (Mystery Prize Review by James Kelly, March 3 2010)
Within the folk music scene, it is far too easy to be predictable and boring and still get loads of support from the laid-back fan base, as long as you follow the rules. Fortunately, Atlanta resident Rebecca Loebe shirked at that playbook a while ago. Instead, she takes chance after chance on her delightful new album, Mystery Prize. Opening with the gently swaying title track, Loebe delivers a sultry, heartfelt, yet somewhat coy ode to love, belying a deep awareness of life’s foibles that seems incongruent with her rather innocent and youthful appearance. She diversifies the sound with the pure tongue-in-cheek twang of “Redneck Karaoke Bar,” the meditative “California,” and even a little jazzy feel on the witty “Her in That Dress.” Creatively funded by presales from friends and fans, Loebe banked this one on her reputation, and as promised, has made a record that lifts the folkie bar a few notches. There’s no mystery here, the girl has talent. 4 out of 5 stars.
and Timothy Bracken
Website: http://www.myspace.com/timothybracken
Timothy Bracken is a mainstay of the DC music scene, recently returning to his hometown of Baltimore with his new album, Midnight In the Basement. Timothy has been known to deliver performances heralded by The Washington Post as “[definitive of] the genre of alternative pop”, in addition to intimate acoustic sets, but his latest studio effort embodies an almost entirely electronic palate. Timothy’s fans will recognize his usual wit and uncanny ear for arrangement wrapped in an organic-sounding mixture of drum loops, synths, and effects.
Timothy’s first release, Disrepair, was nominated for 4 WAMMIES (Washington Area Music Association award) in 2005, including Best New Artist and Best Roots Rock Album. The album features sparse acoustic ballads, quirky folk, intelligent pop, one long lighter-waving guitar solo, and even some good old-fashioned noise. The album was produced independently by Tim; he recorded and played all the instruments himself (Toadfish Records 2004). Disrepair received positive reviews, including high marks from The Washington Post and Paste Magazine, who described the album as a collection of “brilliant alt-country”.
Timothy is featured on the compilation, A Case For Case (Hungry For Music 2006), a tribute to the music of Peter Case, where he contributed two tracks: “Every Day Things” and “Turnin Blue.” The project also features the likes of Richard Buckner (Timothy mixed Buckner’s track, “Poor Old Tom"), Todd Snider, John Prine, Victoria Williams, and many other acclaimed songwriters. Timothy’s music has been showcased on several other compilations, including the Diamond Cuts series ("Dugout"), and About A Girl (Donovan’s “Clara Clairvoyant"). Tim was added to Washingtonian Magazine’s list of 40 People Under 40 to watch in 2007.