Siri Undlin, known as Humbird, performs live on stage with bassist Pat Keene. Humbird will perform a unique matinee concert at Mad Dog Ranch and Studio on Sunday as part of the Inspire Aspen benefit. The show begins at 2 p.m.
Photo credit: Amy Troxell
Ed Baney launched Roaring Folk Sessions in February 2020 at a concert by folk/bluegrass/Americana artist Lindsey Lu at Harris Concert Hall. She embodied the essence of what Baney was trying to accomplish: creating a concert series that focused on the best music from the aforementioned genres, and transforming Harris Concert Hall into a “listening room.”
“Harris Concert Hall” [on the Aspen Meadows Campus] A nice little room for listening to music, but really underutilized. “We just envisioned it as the perfect place to host an Americana-style concert series,” Baney said.
Since that first show with Lou, Roaring Folk Sessions has featured music from The Watkins Family Hour, Sarah Jarosh, Watchhouse, Alison Russell, Sierra Hull, and most recently Bonnie Light Horseman.
Baney has a track record of showcasing artists on the verge of breaking out. Russell won a Grammy last year, and many music insiders are predicting that Bonnie Light Horseman will at least be nominated for, and possibly win, this year’s Grammy.
This Sunday, Baney will be stepping outside Harris Concert Hall for a benefit concert with folk/Americana artist Siri Undlin, also known as Humbird, at Mad Dog Ranch and Studio.
“After seeing the show a few times, I realized that [Mad Dog Ranch co-partner] Julie Garside was coming to all the shows and I was interested in what she was doing at Mad Dog Ranch and in the studio. I was also very impressed with the Inspire Aspen Foundation and Aspen Rocks, which provide opportunities for young people to play music. If I could educate my audience about recording studios, I wanted to do something useful in the studio itself. It’s a magical place that most people don’t know exists. It has a great history, having been owned by both Jimmy Buffet and Glenn Frey. ”
Humbird and bassist Pat Keene deliver a unique music that combines Celtic sounds, church melodies and modern rock.
Photo credit: Lauren Hartman
Tickets for the show are $58 and available at aspenshowtix.com. The show begins at 2 p.m. Inspire Aspen participants Tristan Trincado and Gracie Feinberg will perform, and Humbird will appear at 3 p.m. Show ends by 5 p.m.
Humbird was born Siri Undlin in Edina, Minnesota. She grew up playing ice hockey, and while in a youth program, she teamed up with the triplets on her team and began playing Celtic music. She was also influenced by the music she heard at her family’s Lutheran church.
With Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne, and Michelle Branch appearing on radio, Humbird brought a wide range of musical influences that are evident in her music today.
“My influences are definitely all over the place,” Humbard said in an interview with the Aspen Daily News. “But it’s tied together by melody and experimentation. Our music is a combination of all of that. You can hear hints of Lutheran melodies, Irish influences and the confessional pop of Alanis Morissette.” We try to spin it around in interesting ways and make it a pretty unique show. It’s different every night, so it’s fun for us as well.”
Her band includes Pat Keene on bass and Nate LeBlanc on drums. Andlin took the name Humbird from a small town in Nebraska (population 67) where he met while playing in another band. She thought of using the name for a side project, and it stuck.
They have started performing at different types of festivals and are gaining fans, as evidenced by the fact that nearly 200,000 people listen to her on Spotify every month. She recently released her third album, “Right On,” and released two Billy Joel covers a few weeks ago. With its unique venue, Sunday’s show could be a “when did I see Humbird” moment.
“I think music is part of humanity’s heritage,” Humbard said. “When that’s happening and there’s magic in the room, I think we all benefit immensely from it. I think music has the power to have ripple effects that you can’t even imagine. You can believe it.
“We invite people into it, and we offer it so that people can make it their own and get what they need from it. It’s like a choose-your-own-adventure situation. It’s a thing.”