Culture
Stuart’s Concert Series Continues with Angela Perley
< < Back toStuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville continues its Free Summer Concert Series on Friday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. with Columbus singer-songwriter Angela Perley and her band The Howlin’ Moons.
Perley, who has earned comparisons to everyone from Patsy Cline to Joan Jett, is starting to catch the attention of listeners, and not just in Ohio. Since the band’s formation in 2009, they have released four EPs and one album on Vital Music USA.
The group’s latest release and debut full-length, Hey Kid (2014), has received positive reviews from publications such as American Songwriter, Magnet, PopDose, Americana UK and Maverick, in addition to airplay in the U.S. and Europe. Magnet was particularly exuberant in its praise for Hey Kid, stating “the way Perley blends the genres of rockabilly, Americana and alt-country creates an amazingly fresh sonic experience.”
Perley and her band, which features longtime friends Billy Zehnal (bass), Chris Connor (lead guitar) and Jeff Martin (drums), are known for their energetic shows, which is in sharp contrast to Perley’s off-stage demeanor. In fact, people are often surprised when she tells them she’s the singer in a band.
“Putting on a show is my way of being heard, I guess,” said Perley.
Cutting her musical teeth in the coffeehouses and bars of Athens, Ohio, Perley spent years as an observant wallflower engrossing herself in poetry, literature, people and films.
“I am a storyteller at heart, always have been. I get a lot of inspiration from relationships, surroundings, poetry, and old movies. Music for me is a way to express feelings I can’t get out any other way, and when I hit the stage with the band I can turn up and let go,” she said.
Friday’s show, held in conjunction with Nelsonville’s Final Fridays event, takes place in Stuart’s parking lot on the Public Square, along with a beer garden.
Final Fridays kicks off at 5:30 p.m. with music starting at 7 p.m. Stuart’s Opera House’s 1879 Gallery will be hosting the artwork of Passion Works Studio in Athens. Visit stuartsoperahouse.org for more information.