Write a commentThe Oswego Music Hall is proud to present a new Partner Series Co-Bill: Ordinary Elephant and Ash & Eric on Saturday, October 18.
The venue is the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake Street in Oswego. Doors open at 7 PM; the show begins at 7:30.
Ordinary Elephant was nominated for 2024 IFMA Album of the Year by Folk Alliance International. “…easily one of the best folk duo records I have heard in years”, PopMatters.
Mesmerizing folk duo Ordinary Elephant has spent the better part of the last decade on a never-ending tour that’s earned married couple Crystal and Pete Damore widespread critical acclaim and made fans of luminaries like Tom Paxton and Mary Gauthier. In 2017, the pair took home the International Folk Music Award for Artist of the Year on the strength of their breakout album, Before I Go, and two years later, they returned with the similarly lauded Honest, which the Associated Press hailed as “one of the best Americana albums of the year.”
The band’s new stripped-down, self-titled collection is the purest distillation of their sound yet, showcasing the arresting power of the couple’s gorgeous harmonies and intricate fretwork. The songs are timeless, rooted in rich, character-driven storytelling, and the performances are similarly transportive, fueled by delicately intertwined banjo, guitar, and octave mandolin. Though the songs were born out of a period of deep uncertainty, the record itself is a work of profound self-assurance, one delivered by a duo whose personal and professional lives embody the limitless possibility of honest, organic collaboration. Press play on Ordinary Elephant and you’ll hear more than just a husband and wife; you’ll hear the sound of sincerity and commitment, of patience and gratitude, of learning to let go of expectation and revel in the simple beauty of the moment.
For further information, visit https://www.ordinaryelephant.net/ or view a video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bff4YmVvTvk.
Ash & Eric songs feel like a warm welcome, a shoulder to lean on and a hand to hold at the end of a long day. The married couple’s latest album “Sure”is “a tale of love… [with] some heartaches along the way”, Americana UK.
Hailing from the gritty heart of New England (Worcester, MA), the two are experts in discovering beauty in the challenges of life. Their musings reflect the hope and pain we all experience, sung in voices as vulnerable and honest as their lyrics. No Depression says their writing will leave listeners “...coming away from many of these [songs] cleansed.”
Their warm harmonies, swirling acoustic guitars, and easy stage presence have earned them a dedicated following in the emerging US folk scene, performing with folk legends like Livingston Taylor, Vance Gilbert, Heather Maloney, and Mark Erelli. Their independent 9-song release, “Sure”, was recorded, mixed and produced by Eric at a boarding school in Western Massachusetts, and was accompanied by a 29-minute visual album, “A Song for Every Sadness”. The film premiered at Club Passim (Cambridge, MA) in June 2024 and is now available to stream globally.
They have performed countless shows in a myriad of venues from house and living room concerts to legendary rooms like Club Passim (Cambridge, MA), Southern Vermont Arts Center (Manchester, VT), and Godfrey Daniels (Bethlehem, PA). They have performed on the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival’s Emerging Artist Stage (Hillsdale, PA), won the CT Folks Grassyhill Songwriter Competition, and performed at the CT Folk and Black Bear Americana Festivals. Ash & Eric have been nominated for New England Music Awards, won many Worcester Music Awards, and was offered a Semi-Formal Showcase at the 2019 NERFA Conference in Stamford, CT. Their vision has been tested and tried through long hours on the road, playing their best shows for whoever showed up in a room.
For further information, visit https://www.ashandericmusic.com/ or view a video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDsb0jT_dBo.
Shows start at 7:30 PM and doors open at 7:00 for all National Stage concerts. For a complete performance schedule and ticket information, visit the website at https://www.oswegomusichall.org/ or stop at the river’s end bookstore, 19 West Bridge Street in Oswego.
Tickets are on sale online now at https://www.oswegomusichall.org/ ($17-$22), or at the rivers end Bookstore, although you may be able to get tickets at the door if it is not sold out. The community is encouraged to buy tickets early to ensure a seat.
Ticket prices for the National Stage range from a low of $17 to $25 at the door. Children 16 and under are half price and under 5 are free. Purchase tickets at any concert, online or at the river’s end bookstore. Tickets purchased at the door and refreshments are cash or check only.
The wheelchair accessible venue is located in the McCrobie Civic Center, on 41 Lake Street in Oswego. It is adjacent to Breitbeck Park and overlooks Lake Ontario and the Oswego Harbor. The atmosphere is intimate with candle-lit tables surrounding a small stage. Light refreshments will be available at reasonable prices.
Oswego Music Hall is a family-friendly, non-profit organization that has been run entirely by volunteers since its inception in 1977. Volunteers can earn admission to shows through various tasks — from event support to making popcorn. Students can also earn credit for community service. To volunteer, email Volunteer Coordinator Michael Moss at ocpaoswego@gmail.com.
Find more information online at https://www.oswegomusichall.org/, on Facebook and Instagram, or email ocpaoswego@gmail.com.
Concerts are made possible in part with funding by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the governor and New York Legislature. Other major supporters are the City of Oswego and Shineman Foundation.
