etb English
Theatre
Berlin International Performing Arts Center

Get ready for an evening of music in the theater! Following the success of last year’s event, we are very pleased to invite you to once again enter the world of songs through the lenses of two Berlin-based singer-songwriters. Viktor’s Joy and Alex Spencer will share new material from their own songbooks and invite special guests to join them on stage. Brandon Miller will release his new album, Blue Blood Eclipse, and perform it live with a full band.

Vikor’s Joy sings about life. With precise observations about people, neighborhoods, bus journeys or other people’s concerts, Viktor’s Joy takes you and shows you exactly how his interior and exterior world looks. Like being drawn into a painting or a good book, the listener never wants the songs to end. With tear-jerkingly beautiful plucked guitar and a voice steady and low, each feels like a masterpiece.

Brandon Miller is a Berlin based singer/songwriter whose music immediately takes the listener by the hand and into a story. His live performances are disarming, subversive and authentic. On stage he has supported such artists as William Elliott Whitmore, Michael Nau, Hawk and a Hacksaw, Deertick, Nina Nastasia, John Fullbright, and many others. As of the 2017-2018 season, he has been working at Theaterdiscounter Berlin writing and performing original “apocalyptic campfire” songs for the Internil performance group theater project GOG/MAGOG. A disinformation campaign in four parts (Ukraine/Syria/Israel/Europe). Many of the songs he has written for this project are collected on his new album, Blue Blood Eclipse, which will be officially released at this concert.

Alex Spencer is fresh out of the studio from recording her second album. With a conscious move towards her roots in jazz music, she has teamed up with one of the hottest trios in town: Ben Lehmann (double bass), Martial Frenzel (drums) and Paul Engelmann (alto sax). Drawing inspiration from such diverse subject matters as insects, painters or parenting, the songs themselves defy categorization, sometimes jazzy, other times more folk, sometimes tipping over into pop. Each of them sung with a voice strong enough to transport the whole auditorium.

Listen to Viktor’s Joy on Bandcamp and visit his artist page on Facebook

Listen to Brandon Miller on Bandcamp and visit his official website

Listen to Alex Spencer on SoundCloud and visit her artist page on Facebook

Bathe in the sonic and poetic presence of four Berlin-based singer-songwriters from England, Ireland and Estonia.

Each has a unique voice and approach to the challenge of writing the perfect song, Alex Spencer, Viktor’s Joy, Sam Dale and Kilkelly draw on a wide range of musical and lyrical influences and resources.

The evening will not be short of surprises, featuring collaboration and creative cross-pollination on stage with special guests appearing during each set.

Listen to Alex Spencer on SoundCloud and visit her artist page on Facebook

Listen to Viktor’s Joy on Bandcamp and visit his artist page on Facebook

Listen to Sam Dale on Bandcamp and visit his artist page on Facebook

Visit Kilkelly at his official homepage and on Facebook

Tape Loops, Heartbeats & Super 8 – A Triple Record Release Event!

With his first solo project, Sascha Bachmann aka Hand combines tape loops and moving images to create a contrast to the fast, loud world we live in, making space for emotions, self-reaction, calmness as well as excitement.

Alongside the release of Hand’s album Debut, the evening will also include performances by Janek Sprachta and Lars Hemmerling, who are also both releasing albums.

Watch Hand perform a live set

https://youtu.be/zIq0Bjxdx5k

Watch the music video for Loop 0.4

A documentary with Hand all about Debut

When Grammy-winner Marc Cohn first saw her perform, he called himself “an instant Gillian Grassie fan,” observing, “it’s rare to hear a young singer with such control and understated soulfulness, and even more rare to hear a harp provide such a deep percussive groove. I was immediately captivated by her sound.” Traveling the world with her harp on her back and her heart on her sleeve, Gillian’s music challenges the conventions of her instrument and showcases a knack for “turning seemingly insignificant events […] into songs worthy of everyone’s attention,” (Origivation Magazine).

Her innovative use of the harp, expressive vocals, and sophisticated but accessible songwriting have earned her grants from the Thomas J. Watson Foundation and the U.S. State Department, a slew of awards, and the fervent support of her fans, who collectively funded Grassie’s second album, The Hinterhaus, produced by Todd Sickafoose (Andrew Bird, Ani DiFranco, Erin McKeown, Anaïs Mitchell). Grassie graduated cum laude from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in Comparative Literature. A natural storyteller, her music is often inspired by literary works and has been featured on radio, film, and television. She has toured across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia at performances ranging from a moving train in Mumbai, to a private gala for HRH Prince Albert of Monaco, to an opening slot for Amanda Palmer and a sold out club in Siberia.

One fan described her as “an awesome combination of Pippi Longstocking, drinking buddy and the Mata Hari. Trust me, you never saw anything like this.” A Philadelphia native, she currently hangs her hat in Berlin.

With support act Hannes Maschado

Hannes Maschado is a 27 years old singer/songwriter born and raised in Sweden, based in Berlin. His music is best described as “Scandinavian Blues”- rooted in traditional African-American folk with clear, typical nordic melancholic themes and lyrics.”

Watch Gillian Grassie on YouTube:

Better late than never? Ian Late’s truly timeless sounds, melodies and lyrics offer a straightforward, honest and fragile peek into this gifted singer-songwriter’s mind. Stripped down to the core and quietly powerful, his personal and melancholic creations sneak past our defenses and straight to the heart.

With the release of his debut EP in 2012 and the collaboration with Mercedes-Benz as a featured artist, Ian earned his first experiences in Europe. A highlight was his journey to and series of concerts in Asia, which was truly inspiring and exciting. In fall of 2013, Ian and his band returned to the legendary Funkhaus Berlin to record their new EP II. It represents a more grown-up artist, songwriting and sound. The photos were shot by Ian himself during a road trip in California. II was released on his own label, just like the first record, in May 2014.

In late September 2014, the “Hey Girl” remix EP was published – a collaboration between Ian and the well-known German DJ Pretty Pink. It reached the top 10 of the German dance charts and has racked up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. Keep your eyes peeled for the indie pop version of “Hey Girl”…

Watch Ian Late on YouTube:

Mya Audrey has been fascinated by the piano since a very early point in her life. Her music has been compared to the gentle and jazzy Norah Jones as well as the lyrical Fiona Apple or even pop singer Missy Higgins. Mya’s songwriting reminds one of Sarah McLachlan.

Chris Glen’s approach to songwriting has been compared to the likes of Jeff Buckley and Ray Lamontagne with its roots in the folk music of his native Scotland but with a flair for expressive guitar work and an emotionally charged and expressive approach to vocal melody, developed through his over 10 years as a songwriter and live performer.

His first solo EP was released in 2010 which included the song “Yoko” (YouTube) which he still frequently performs live. Chris spent the summer touring through Europe and has spent the last few months in Berlin developing the material which will form his debut album. This is currently in the mixing stages and will be released in this year with European, U.K. and American tours to follow.

Watch Chris Glen on YouTube:

Sorry Gilberto are Anne von Keller and Jakob Dobers from Berlin. They have traveled Europe since 2007, playing their way through clubs, theaters, bars, roofs and living rooms.

They like instruments that fit in small cars, such as ukuleles, Casio keyboards and glockenspiels. Sorry Gilberto miss The Moldy Peaches. And they hug Jonathan Richman. Some might call it anti-folk, we call it sing-along in the tower of song.

Watch Sorry Gilberto on YouTube: