The audience will be treated to an evening of Americana and folk when Prairie Rehab and Devon Cahill take the stage 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 20, at Jacoby Arts Center, 627 E. Broadway, Alton.
Prairie Rehab’s music “deftly combines elements of folk, country, power pop and jazz with lyrical depth.” Lead vocalist Lacie Williams will be joined by Scott Swartz on guitar and keyboards and Ezequiel Valguarnera, who plays bass and joins Williams in harmony vocals. Williams also plays acoustic and electric guitars.
Williams said she and the main band members Swartz, Valguarnera and John Baldus have been together about 10 years.
“I was very green, with no previous experience when I auditioned (for the band) on a whim,” Williams said. She’s also the band’s primary lyricist.
The band will play primarily from its fourth release, “Houses,” and some pieces from a CD in progress. “Houses” touches on themes of marriage, parenthood, mistrust and romance, all inspired by Williams’ own life and experiences. A band favorite is “Xs and Os,”
“I think it works dynamically. There’s such a difference between the soothing austere nature of the start and the full and bombastic ending. It’s interesting,” she said.
The band is excited to be playing Jacoby, Williams said. “It’s fun to play in bars but a quieter setting is nice sometimes.”
Prairie Rehab is taking part in the art center’s “Artist in the Spotlight” series 1:00-4:00 p.m. Saturday, April 20. The four-hour event allows artists to share their backgrounds, development, journeys, and processes as artists in their field.
Opening for Prairie Rehab and joining them for a few songs is Devon Cahill. A ukulelist, guitarist and vocalist of indie folk, Cahill has been involved with music since childhood.
“I’ve been in musical theater since I was six,” she said.
Despite not knowing how to play any instrument, Cahill formed Letter to Memphis in 2011 and was its lyricist. Like many songwriters, Cahill draws on personal experiences of love, heartbreak, family and overcoming inner demons for her songs.
She eventually picked up the ukulele and guitar in her mid-20s. In 2017, she emerged as a solo artist and released “When I Wake” in 2018. Cahill recently started a new band, The Bronx Cheers. It will perform at Forest Park’s Earth Day celebration April 28.
Her music has been described as “jazzy folk music with a country twist.”
“My music is indie folk. Some people call it country. I think that’s a misnomer, but I can understand why when they hear my voice,” said Cahill. “I’m excited to play for a new audience and in a new space. I love Alton; it’s a neat town.”
Cahill sings vocals for other St. Louis bands, including Prairie Rehab. She and the bands vocalist, Lacie Williams, are close friends. Lacie and her husband, Scott Swartz, will be sitting in with The Bronx Cheers at Forest Park, Scott on electric guitar, Lacie on harmony vocals.
Copies of Cahill’s CD, “When I Wake” and Prairie Rehab’s four CDs will be available for purchase that evening.
Concert tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or at http://www.jacobyartscenter.org/tickets. Seating is cabaret style at tables and is first come, first seated at 7:00. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the public is invited to view the gallery’s main exhibit before the performance. A cash bar is available. Parking is available on the gravel lot next door.
About the Jacoby Arts Center
The mission of the Jacoby Arts Center is to nurture and promote the practice and appreciation of the arts through education, exhibits, cultural programs and community outreach initiatives. Jacoby Arts Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The Jacoby Arts Center is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Jacoby Arts Center, 627 E. Broadway, Alton, IL 62002 / 618-462-5222 / jacobyartscenter@gmail.com
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