Artwork by JAMES ORMISTON
Kristen Hersh is a renaissance woman – singer, rocker, writer, mother, photographer, storyteller, business woman and chronicler of lost ballads. The last few years have produced Crooked, one of her best solo albums and her fascinating head trip of a memoir Rat Girl – a year in the life of an edgy teen on the dual cusps of indie-rock stardom and motherhood. A musical chameleon and one of the most underrated guitar players of the last 20 years, Hersh is equally at home interpreting old time murder ballads, performing solo folky-stylee or fronting one of two power trios – alternative rock legends Throwing Muses and aural tsunami 50 Foot Wave. Not only is Hersh a groundbreaking musical artist but also a music business pioneer who has helped innovate the fan-supported business model. Hersh’s career is financed by a fervent fanbase of subscribers, lovingly called “strange angels,” who receive in exchange Hersh’s unconditional love, a lot of music (including demo and concert MP3s), occasional gifts and music in the mail, special access to shows and other benefits. Hersh plays the downstairs at World Cafe live next Tuesday. Come expecting to be impressed and to get the first of many shivers down your spine when she first cocks her head, stares and passionately tears into one of her William Carlos Williams-esque word paintings while thrashing away on guitar. We have two tickets to see Kristin Hersh at World Cafe Live on July 31st to the seventh reader to sign up for our mailing list. Don’t worry, your email address will never be shared or sold with anyone. Good luck and godspeed!