For more than three decades, Catie Curtis has occupied a singular place in American songwriting. Long before authenticity became a marketing strategy, Curtis was practicing a quieter art: making songs that feel like conversations, invitations into a shared emotional space where listeners recognize themselves.
Over the course of fifteen albums and thousands of performances, her career has taken her from Boston’s vibrant folk scene to stages across the country, from Carnegie Hall to the White House. Yet Curtis’s enduring appeal has never been about accolades alone. It stems from a rare ability to transform private experiences into shared ones, creating music that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant.
On her new album, C'mon Butterfly, Curtis turns to the natural world not as an escape from human life, but as a guide for living it. Across these songs, butterflies, wild horses, changing seasons, and morning light become reminders that transformation is woven into the fabric of every living thing. With warmth, wisdom, and her trademark emotional clarity, Curtis explores what it means to meet change with curiosity rather than fear and asks how we might care for one another in uncertain times.
Split Level Concerts is back for its 3rd season at Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove! The partnership between Split Level Concerts and JSAC brings critically acclaimed national and international touring Americana and contemporary folk musicians to the Jersey Shore. Artists from the Asbury Park music scene will continue to open many of the shows. Opening for Catie Curtis and her Band in February will be Mike Montrey, an acclaimed singer-songwriter, guitarist, and bandleader whose music blends Americana, folk, rock, and soul. A compelling storyteller with a powerful voice and dynamic guitar style, Montrey has spent more than two decades captivating audiences on stages throughout the country. Band member Jen Augustine will join Mike on vocals during his set.
Visit each artist’s website to learn more about the pairing for this month’s show.
https://catiecurtis.com
https://www.mikemontreyband.com
Net ticket proceeds from all Split Level concerts support the programming and arts education offered by the Jersey Shore Arts Center, a non-profit organization serving Ocean Grove and its surrounding areas. The second season of the series netted approximately $10,000, money that the Arts Center is using to help pay for the presentation of additional arts programs and improvements to its historic building.
In addition, Jersey Shore Arts Center and Split Level Concerts are proud to partner with Brookdale Public Radio 90.5 The Night and Musicians On A Mission (MOAM) to promote the concert series. Musicians On A Mission is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating connection and inspiring giving through music. During the shows that made up season two, the volunteers from MOAM collected nearly $4,000 in cash donations and 587 pounds of non-perishable food items to benefit Fulfill (formerly the Food Bank of Monmouth & Ocean County). For season three, MOAM has again chosen Fulfill to be the beneficiary of their fundraising efforts.
Here’s the full season 3 lineup:
Saturday, October 31st – Willie Nile (Solo Storyteller Show) w/Robinson Treacher
Saturday, December 5th – An Evening with John Gorka
Saturday, January 9th – Dan Bern w/Redbird
Saturday, February 13th – Catie Curtis and Band w/Mike Montrey Duo
Saturday, March 13th – Stephen Kellogg w/TBA
Saturday, April 10th – Abbie Gardner w/Sean Kiely
Saturday, May 8th – Heather Maloney and Band w/Tiny Cities
Saturday, June 5th – Kim Richey w/Sharon Lasher
Event venue
Joe Palaia Theatre, 66 S Main St, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.