ALL AGES
STANDING ROOM ONLY
SPELLLING, the moniker of the Bay Area experimental pop mastermind Chrystia Cabral, has emerged as a visionary artist, pushing the boundaries of genre and captivating audiences with her richly envisioned albums and enchanting live performances. SPELLLING gained widespread recognition with the release of her critically acclaimed debut album, Pantheon of Me, in 2017. The album showcased her prodigious talent as a songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. In 2019, she signed to Sacred Bones and released her highly anticipated sophomore album, Mazy Fly, further elevating her artistic vision and expanding her sonic palette. In 2021 she released her breakthrough project, The Turning Wheel, which saw her orchestrating and self-producing an album that features an ensemble of 31 collaborating musicians. The Turning Wheel has become a career-defining opus for the artist. The album received widespread unanimous praise, earning itself The Needle Drops #1 album of the year in 2021. As SPELLLING continues to evolve and explore new musical territories, she further solidifies herself as a once in a lifetime artist. Her ability to create beautiful soundscapes that transport listeners to other realms along with her transcendent live performances have earned her legions of dedicated fans. With each release, SPELLLING invites us on a mesmerizing journey into her world, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of her listeners.
Smut is the project of lyricist Tay Roebuck, guitarists Andie Min and Sam Ruschman, drummer Aidan O’Connor, and bassist John Steiner. Roebuck, Ruschman and Min started the band a decade ago in Cincinnati, Ohio. After years in the DIY scene, they made their Bayonet Records full-length debut, How the Light Felt. The record was a revelation. Pitchfork called it “a rigorous, decade-spanning study,” and a “well-oiled spin on late-’80s guitar pop.” Under the Radar called it “pop perfection,” that “blends subtle hooks with wistful lyrics.” It was a record that explored grief through the lens of melancholic dream pop, using drum machines and layered, intricate melodies. How the Light Felt brought the band to Chicago, a city with more room for their growing sound. They still faced the modern struggles of the working musician, though: instability, objectification, financial precarity. The band channeled this period of touring, personnel changes, and personal upheavals into their newest musical endeavors.
