The Fanwood Performance Series has announced the schedule of concerts for its fall season, featuring singer-songwriters and groups with a variety of musical styles.
The shows take place on Saturday evenings in the cozy listening room at the Kuran Cultural Arts Center (a.k.a. the Carriage House), on the grounds of Fanwood Borough Hall. Each show presents two musical acts:
Sept. 13: Sara Hodd & The Drive and Brooke Annibale
Oct. 11: Rachael Sage and Danni Nicholls
Nov. 15: Meghan Cary and Glenn & Oria
Sarah Hodd is a Brooklyn native now based in Maplewood. Her musical influences range from soul to rock, classical to hip hop. With powerhouse vocals and bluesy, soulful songwriting, her music is explosive and full of heart. She’ll be performing with a slimmed-down version of her eight-piece band, The Drive.
Singer-songwriter-guitarist Brooke Annibale’s expressive and beautifully thoughtful songwriting creates a dreamy, dark, and enticing sonic landscape. Her solo performance will feature newly finished material and songs spanning her multi-record catalog.
Rachael Sage’s alt-folk-pop songs have poetic, storytelling lyrics. This New York singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has toured with an eclectic list of artists including Howard Jones, Beth Hart, Ani DiFranco, Shawn Colvin and Judy Collins. This show will introduce Sage’s brand-new album, “Canopy.”
Danni Nicholls, who grew up in England listening to American roots music, built a loyal fan base in the UK Americana scene before moving to Nashville. She is working on her fourth album while bringing her passionate singing and guitar work to stages big and small.
Meghan Cary’s smoky voice and powerful storytelling inspire connection and hope. Her anthem “Sing Louder” has become a rallying cry for unity and earned critical acclaim. She brings heart, humor, and authenticity to every performance. She’s returning to the Carriage House, where she performed in a pandemic-livestream show in 2021.
Glenn Alexander is a renowned guitarist who has toured the world with some of music’s biggest names – in recent years, with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. Singer-songwriter Oria Aspen released her first album at age 17 to rave reviews and has released many singles since then. As a father-daughter duo, their music draws from jazz, soul, blues, rock and pop influences.
All shows start at 7 p.m. at the Kuran Cultural Arts Center, 135 Watson Road just west of Martine Avenue. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors – cash at the door.
Reservations are strongly suggested, to ensure seating. RSVP by emailing fanwoodperformance@gmail.com with the show date and number of seats requested.
The Fanwood Performance Series is a presentation of Mayor Colleen Mahr and the Fanwood Borough Cultural Arts Council. It is made possible in part by a HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant from the Union County Board of County Commissioners.
Music fans can find more information and updates at the series website (https://fanwoodperformanceseries.org) and on its Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FanwoodPerformanceSeries).
