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Erik Brandt
and the Urban Hillbilly Quartet
Erik Brandt has been the ringleader of the
award-winning eclectic Twin Cities-based Urban
Hillbilly Quartet since 1995. By night, he plays
music. By day, he teaches English and Journalism
at Harding High School in St. Paul. He’s played
in venues all over the USA, Canada, Australia,
and on various street corners throughout Europe.
He’s also taught high school Shakespeare,
rudimentary grammar, haikus and standardized
test prep.
On stage, Erik performs mainly original material
drawn from the Americana vein. Most of his
original tunes can be found on the eight albums
he’s recorded with the UHQ and his two solo
albums: Green Eyed Alone and, his latest,
Sometimes. When choosing covers, he pulls
liberally from the catalogs of Bob Dylan, Big
Bill Broonzy, Johnny Cash, and other Americana
heroes. As a multi-instrumentalist, Erik
switches between acoustic guitar, piano and
accordion during performances.
His music has been influenced by and compared
to: Americana powerhouses The Jayhawks, Gillian
Welch, and Uncle Tupelo; Georgia’s Vigilantes of
Love; Britain’s The Waterboys; Australia’s Paul
Kelly; Canada’s Bruce Cockburn; and folk/jazz
stars David Grisman, Paris Combo and Tin Hat
Trio.
Though Erik mostly performs solo, he is often
joined by guests from UHQ and other bands on
stage. The combination of his different
instruments, songwriting talent and musical
guests makes his live performances dynamic and
unique.
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Trinity House Theatre |
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February 13, 2010 |
8:00pm
$15, $12 for subscribers |
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www.erikbrandt.com
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“Erik Brandt,
singer/multi-instrumentalist with the Urban Hillbilly Quartet,
skillfully spans a range of genres as broad as his travels—from
Oakland, Calif., to British pubs to Australia. Brandt’s vocals,
at times fiery and at others plaintive and haunting, melancholy
piano and quirky songwriting make for a great CD accessible to
everyone.”
Cyn Collins, The Pulse. March 2006 |
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