Matt Pond PA
w/ Anya Marina and Bathtub Cig
Thursday, January 30
Doors 6pm / Show 7pm
$18 Members / $20 General Admission Advance / $25 GA Day of Show
All ages / Standing
Matt Pond’s very name evokes the natural world in which his songs are so often set, with their evocative lyrics about the sometimes jagged edges of love, the pros and cons of connection, and the agony and ecstasy of memory. He has always mapped the universal emotions of being alive onto the contours of his own stories.
From the band’s beginnings in Philadelphia in the late ’90s to their current home in the heart of the Hudson Valley, through 13 albums (among them Emblems, Several Arrows Later, The Dark Leaves, The State of Gold, and, most recently, the luminous The Natural Lines), Matt Pond PA has always been a living, breathing organism—one that’s constantly changing. One notable mainstay: Pond’s longtime right-hand man, Chris Hansen.
“I named the band after myself, but the fact is that this is a complete collaboration,” Pond says. “Everyone I've worked with lives in my head and in these songs.”
About Anya Marina:
A murderous girl with a spine of steel. An asteroid hurtling toward a ruminating woman. Shards of glass leading to a dark, friendly place.
Welcome to the provocative vision of singer-songwriter Anya Marina’s stunning new album Asteroid, her most assured work yet. Almost two decades into a distinctive career encompassing songs featured in Twilight: New Moon, Gossip Girl, and Grey’s Anatomy, an award-winning web series (Anya Marina: Indie-pendent Woman), seven albums, three EPs, and extensive touring with artists ranging from Jason Mraz to Spoon to superstar standup Nikki Glaser, the riveting performer / creative powerhouse is looking back, taking stock in song. Marina calls Asteroid “a coming-of-age story about a late bloomer. This record is about growing up, becoming fully who I am, and celebrating it.”
Most of Asteroid came fast on the heels of Marina’s relocation to the Hudson Valley. What she describes as “melodies that sound like strange Disney album B-sides, or bizzarro cousins of cabaret, classical music, Bossa nova, or jazz,” arrived quickly, “like tuning into a faraway frequency on a radio dial.”
Whereas Marina’s previous studio release Queen of the Night (2020) was recorded piecemeal over months and featured layers of synthetic sound, Asteroid came together quickly, mostly in the Woodstock, NY barn studio of producer / guitarist Kevin Salem (Rachael Yamagata, Mike Doughty), who favors a more organic, spare approach.
The deft humor in much of Asteroid is no accident. Touring since 2019 with friend and former roommate, comedian Nikki Glaser, has made a big difference in Marina’s life, both personally and artistically. “Opening for Nikki has made me a better performer and songwriter,” Marina says. “I’ve learned to crystallize things better, get to the point. Playing to 2,000 comedy fans can be very daunting. It will whip you into shape fast. I love it.”
With Asteroid, Marina feels comfortable in her own skin at last, excited to begin again. “Something about these songs feels young,” she says. “I’m finally learning how to take care of myself, how to say no to certain things, how to be more involved in the recording process. I wanted to make the album of my life. And I’ve done that, hands down.”
About Bathtub Cig:
Bathtub Cig is the intimate depression pop project of Hilary James. Born in a Minneapolis bedroom, it is an honest attempt at coping with her long struggle with mental health. The new EP, coming out September 2024 is entitled "Good Mourning, I love you" and is about love, loss, and moments of joy during a time of intense mourning- the death of Hilary's mom.
The first single out now, "Red Pine", is a determinedly joyous sapphic bop about falling in love despite the inevitable risk of loss. The song has been described in the press as "an exceptional piece of art" and "Gorgeous vocals and some guitar work with a bit of a Big Thief quality that expands and delights with an emotional sensitivity"
Bathtub Cig will be self-releasing an EP in mid September. More singles will follow in the fall and another single will be released to coincide with the winter tour.
Funded in part by a grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation - Rutman Family Fund.
Thank you to our year-round Lead Sponsors: AC Hotel Portsmouth, The Brook, Katzman Contemporary Projects, MacEdge, Raka, Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel.