JAY BRANNAN
08/17/2012
Visulite Theatre (16+ (Must have ID) - Under 16 with Parent Only)
Doors Open: 8:00 - Headliner Begins: 9:45
"...wistful singer-songwriter fare..." --David Swanson, ROLLING STONE
"...his tenor voice makes even the saddest lyrics easy on the ear." --Fred A. Bernstein, THE NEW YORK TIMES
"the kind of indie folk that makes you feel warm and fuzzy while tearing out your insides"
Louis Peitzman, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
"Brannan's star is on the ascent." --James Reed, THE BOSTON GLOBE
"not for the faint of heart...but perfect for the brokenhearted"--Alex Baldinger, THE WASHINGTON POST
"His voice is completely distinctive and new. Perhaps if Nick Drake, Janis Ian and Liz Phair all were
mixed up in a blender you'd get his sound and songwriting skills." --Matt Budd, THE HUFFINGTON POST
"The Male Joni Mitchell" --Alex Catarinella, GEN ART PULSE
"Often erroneously billed as a 'sensitive songwriter,' Brannan is more like a roaring, emotional force." --Julian Hooper, FLAVORPILL
Everything about Jay Brannan’s young career is improbable. Defying legions of critics both personal and professional, he has managed to build a shockingly dedicated following in a very non-traditional way. Urged to stick to society's conventions during his Southern upbringing, Jay has become a lightning rod for castaways by simply being himself: a neurotic and inspiring mess.
Jay is a New Yorker by way of Texas and California, with several stops in between. A (severely) failed Southern Baptist, he moved to L.A. to pursue acting at the turn of the century. He picked up his first guitar at age 20, just as he put down an alcohol addiction. This new, healthier dependency took hold, and a few failed attempts at romance later, Brannan found himself in New York City auditioning for John Cameron Mitchell’s experimental film Shortbus.
Landing the part, he fell into a world of performers who made him feel comfortable as a creative professional for the first time. “I finally learned to trust myself as an artist and began to believe that I do have something to contribute, a concept
that had been beaten out of me in just a few years of attempting a career in entertainment.” Jay’s song “Soda Shop” became the most downloaded track from the movie’s soundtrack album, released on Conor Obersts’ (“Bright Eyes”) indie label Team Love. He began performing his music at events surrounding the film, allowing him an international platform
to showcase his music.
JESSE RUBEN
Start Time: 9:15
23-year-old, Philly-bred singer-songwriter Jesse Ruben freely confides that he’s done a bit of “obsessing” over his second album, The Ones That Matter.
Not that such anxiety is evident on the highly accomplished disc, the follow-up to Ruben’s self-released 2008 debut, Aiming for Honesty. Adding full-band accompaniment to his lush, soulful pop-rock, Ruben also stretches impressively as a writer on The Ones That Matter, achieving a near-novelistic sense of character and setting on finely hewn tracks like “A Lack of Armor,” “Bleeker and Sixth,” and “Unbreakable.” His relentless attention to detail pays off handsomely.
He makes no apology for meticulously fine-tuning all aspects of his work and presentation. “Every time you create something you have an opportunity to say something new – or at least something honest,” he says. “I take that opportunity seriously.”
Ruben’s expansive and deeply compassionate point of view has resonated strongly with an ever-growing audience, whom the performer has cultivated with virtually nonstop touring and persistent online networking; as a result, he’s sold some 5,000 copies of Honesty on his own.
He often receives emotional messages from fans declaring that his songs have crystallized their feelings, commemorated milestones in their lives and even helped repair broken bonds. “One woman wrote to me and said she and her daughter didn’t get along, but when she drives the girl to school every day they listen to my music – and it’s the only time they don’t fight,” he marvels. “The songs I wrote in my basement helped her relationship with her daughter. How could I ask for more than that?” Indeed, his compositions have connected so powerfully with listeners that several cover versions have been posted on YouTube.
MATT PERRONE
Start Time: 8:30
Born and raised in New Jersey, Matt Perrone is a singer/songwriter with an eclectic writing style. With his acoustic rock mentality and pop-hook style, Perrone is flipping today's music on its side. Not being tied to any one genre, Perrone appeals to all ages with a sound of his own and influences ranging from Springsteen to Bret Michaels to Goo Goo Dolls.
"It's been a long and wild journey to get to where I am," says Perrone. Almost 10 years since his debut release SOMETHING I WANTED, Perrone has traveled the U.S. performing at such famed venues including the Roxy Theater and CBGB. After an appearance on LIVE! with Regis & Kelly promoting his song "Fantasy (Kelly Ripa song)" and touring the East coast, Perrone moved to Los Angeles. In 2006, after releasing WITH OR WITHOUT YOU which contained the hit "...And I Pray", Perrone relocated to Charlotte, NC.
In 2010, Perrone released MAKE BELIEVE which included the crowd favorites, "See You Next Tuesday" and “Time to Go”. During this time, Matt garnered the moniker of "(the real) Matt P" or "(the real) Matt Perrone". 2011 was a big year for Perrone; he opened for former Warner Brothers recording artist Pat McGee and shared the stage with Keith Urban.
On January 31, 2012, Matt Perrone released SEASONS, his most ambitious CD to date. Lyrically, SEASONS tells the story of one man's ups and downs over the course of a year. With the help of his Kickstarter backers, Perrone was able to work with some excellent musicians and producers including Brian Fechino of the Pat McGee Band. SEASONS gives the listener songs such as "Fall Out of Love" and "Oh My Girl" which have Perrone's trademark sound while songs like "Through My Eyes" and "Deserve Me" show his growth.
