Greg Freeman with The Clearwater Swimmers and Chico States

"Greg Freeman deals in biblical deluges, apocalyptic fever dreams, Floridian miscreants, and green mountain malaise. On his excellent debut LP "I Looked Out," Gregs's voice takes center stage, creaking, crooning, and cutting through clouds of static. The songs are linked together by a palpable urgency, whether it is the punch-in-the-face, careening momentum of "Tower," the country-gazing guitar squall of "Souvenir Heart," or the singalong finale of "Palms." Careful arrangements and production choices bring out the best of the 7-piece band that ornament the album with pedal steel, horns, eerie strings, and tape warbles. Greg's strong narrative songwriting is equally effective chronicling the demise of a 1920s ocean liner as it is documenting his own interpersonal uncertainties. The sounds on the record conjure up the feeling of driving around Chittenden County in the middle of winter, high beams on, slush on the floor mats. It's hard for me to imagine a more promising debut record, and I can't wait to see where this band goes next." – Garrett Linck

The Clearwater Swimmers is the new artistic vehicle for Sumner Bright, a multi-instrumentalist hailing from Maine. Drawing comparisons to Neil Young’s “On The Beach” era, Acetone, and other folk rock moguls from the 90s and early 2000s (such as Jason Molina), The Clearwater Swimmers take the most-often acoustic works of Bright and shift them into wading, contemplative folk rock, playing homage to the many communities and influences that led to group’s beginning.

Chico States is alta-Californian romanticist hippie honky-tonk. Written on the road, by the light of a waxing crescent and to the tune of a coyote call, echoing in the fading dusklight.

[$15 ADV/$17 DOS | Doors 7 PM | Show 730 PM ]

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Oxbow Blending & Bottling, 49 Washington Avenue, Portland, United States