Joanna Newsom Tickets

JOANNA NEWSOM IN CONCERT:

Over the past decade indie folk icon Joanna Newsom has parlayed her idiosyncratic sound into Top 40 success, an impressive feat for a classically trained harpist whose unique compositions incorporate everything from Appalachian music to avant-garde modernism. Newsom’s songwriting is at once accessible and stunningly complex, taking familiar sounds and structures and turning them on their heads to reveal delightful new dimensions. She’s a master harpist and a skilled multi-instrumentalist, and her live shows are virtuosic recreations of her painstakingly crafted songs that treat ticket buyers to an up-close-and-personal look at her compositional process. As she plucks out elaborate passages on the harp with breathtaking dexterity, Newsom casts her acrobatic voice over fans, enveloping them in a brilliant and charming world of poetic lyrics and emotional melodies. An acclaimed performer revered for her originality and unparalleled musicianship, Newsom is a must-see performer for fans of classical, folk, and pop alike.

BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:

California-born Joanna Newsom’s parents shielded her from TV and radio as a child, but she was exposed to music from a young age nonetheless –her father played guitar and her mother was a classically trained pianist. Newsom took up piano at age 5 and began playing harp shortly after, receiving her first full-size pedal harp in seventh grade. After high school she studied composition at Mills College before dropping out to focus on music full time, and in the early ‘00s she released two EPs of her early work, 2002’s Walnut Whales and 2003’s Yam and Glue. The releases caught the ear of alt folk star Will Oldham (Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy), who promptly invited Newsom on tour and passed her music on to his label Drag City. She signed with the label and released her 2004 debut album The Milk-Eyed Mender, an acclaimed collection that led to tours with Devendra Banhart and Vetiver. Her ambitious 2006 sophomore album Ys was an even bigger critical success, charting on both sides of the Atlantic and landing on numerous year-end lists thanks to its imaginative songwriting and unique arrangements. Since then she’s continued to impress with her masterful performances on tour and her beloved recordings, which include 2010’s rave-reviewed LP Have One on Me and her fourth album Divers, which cracked the mainstream Top 40 in both the US and the UK in 2015.