Mark Erelli
John Francis O’Mara
Doors 7:00PM / Show 8:00PM
$12 ADV / $15 DOS
This is a seated show.
Mark Erelli turns adversity into finely embroidered rock songs that burn with urgency on his 2023 album Lay Your Darkness Down. Following full-bodied rock forebears Tom Petty, George Harrison, and Roy Orbison, Erelli's songwriting explores the unknown glories of this planet and love’s transformational power. Over his two decade-long career, the singer-songwriter-sideman-producer-writer has proven himself equally at home in a multitude of roles: producing albums for artists like GRAMMY-winner Lori McKenna; serving as a sideman guitarist for artists like Paula Cole, Marc Cohn, and Josh Ritter; writing and producing his own material, like 2018’s “By Degrees,” for which he was nominated for Song of the Year at the Americana Honors and Awards; and most recently, becoming an advocate for low-vision artists and working with venues to make their spaces more accessible. Written in the wake of his diagnosis with a degenerative retinal disease, Erelli's upcoming 2023 album Lay Your Darkness Down is the next step on Erelli's journey, following up on 2020's Blindsided, which garnered praise from Rolling Stone Country, the Associated Press, NPR, The Boston Globe, and more.
Americana / Folk artist John Francis O’Mara is poised to release his third LP entitled ‘Forbidden Hymns’. Produced by Ken Coomer (drummer for Wilco, Uncle Tupelo), the forthcoming album features Kenny Vaughan (Lucinda Williams, Marty Stuart), and Dave Roe (Johnny Cash, Ray Lamontagne).
JF is the recipient of two national songwriting awards from ASCAP. He has performed upon invitation for the United Nations summit toward eradicating poverty. He has given concerts in arenas and in subway stations, in cathedrals and pubs, at protests and in prisons.
JF’s first national full-length album, ‘The Better Angels’ (Dualtone), was produced by John Carter Cash (son of Johnny and June Carter) in the fabled Cash Cabin Studio, where Johnny Cash recorded much of the ‘American Recordings.’ The single ‘Johnny Cash on the Radio’ climbed to number 19 on the Americana Music Charts in the US.
JF tours extensively in the US and Europe, and has shared stages with Loretta Lynn, Kris Kristofferson, George Jones, Mavis Staples, Suzanne Vega, Sturgill Simpson, Ray Lamontagne, Amos Lee, Rosanne Cash, Andrew Bird, Josh Ritter, Rachael Yamagata, Rodney Crowell, Rickie Lee Jones, Steve Earle, Indigo Girls, Sinead O’Connor, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tommy Emmanuel, James McMurtry, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Justin Townes Earle, and Odetta.
John Francis O’Mara is also a theological scholar. He received his Master’s of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2017, and a Master’s of Sacred Theology from The General Seminary in New York City, 2018. JF is also an Episcopalian priest currently serving in Madison, Wisconsin at Grace Church.
“Like the best story songs from Springsteen, the tale and telling haunt the listener.” ~ Sojourners Magazine
“John Francis O’Mara is a poet; a provocateur of dreams and an instigator of movements. Listen, and be inspired to do something daring with your life” ~ Shane Claiborne (Author / Activist).
“Ripe with the kind of honest questions we used to count on guys like Bob Dylan and John Prine to serve up” ~ The Philadelphia Inquirer
“I noticed how often John Francis (O’Mara) comes up on my iPod when I am playing my favorites. He must be doing something right with only two albums released!” ~ Wim Wenders (Filmmaker)
“John Francis (O’Mara) brings a gun to a knife fight” ~ Tara Murtha (Author, Music Writer)
“A writer of great songs about real stuff. Rare enough to find these days” ~ Arlo Guthrie
“Gritty impassioned songs about the tottering American Empire” ~ Nashville Scene
“John Francis O’Mara is a madman, genius songwriter; full of heart”
~ Sue Devine (Former Head of TV/Film, ASCAP)
“Twice as talented as most performers” ~ Gene Shay (Legendary Folk DJ, WXPN)