Arts

Sweetback Sisters return to Next Stage on Aug. 2

PUTNEY-Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present country swing sextet The Sweetback Sisters at Next Stage on Friday, Aug. 2 at 7:30 p.m.

Centered around the harmonies of Emily Miller and Zara Bode, The Sweetback Sisters mix originals and interpretations of country classics.

Hints of jazz and ragtime flesh out the Sisters' brand of classic country, as Miller, Bode, and their band "conjure up a singular blend of heart, humor, and virtuosic musicianship," say organizers in a news release. "Their rollicking music is as infectious as it is heartbreaking. Like the country artists they admire, the Sisters sing about traditional subjects of heartbreak, revenge, remorse, and staying strong in the face of relationships gone wrong, albeit with a contemporary sensibility."

The Sweetback Sisters first emerged in 2007 with their debut EP Bang!

The collection earned them a record deal with indie label Signature Sounds, and over the course of three ensuing albums, the band built a dedicated following in the U.S. and Europe while racking up a heap of critical acclaim. With a live show that The Boston Globe described as "the perfect balance of sass, sincerity, and swing," The Sweetback Sisters have performed everywhere from A Prairie Home Companion to Mountain Stage, and graced festivals from coast to coast.

Technically speaking, The Sweetback Sisters come from Brooklyn, but they say philosophically, they hail from a parallel universe - one where country music history zigged instead of zagged. The sextet's blend of harmonies, solos, and rhythms "doesn't just look back on honky tonk with fond nostalgia, but rather moves it forward into the 21st century, presenting a vital take on an All-American genre."

Next Stage is at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney. Tickets are $22 in advance, $25 at the door, and $10 for access to the livestream. Advance tickets are available at nextstagearts.org. Next Stage will provide a beer, wine, and cocktail cash bar. For information, call 802-387-0102.


This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.

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