Ismay / Misner & Smith Live

Driven by singer/songwriter Avery Hellman, ISMAY released their debut full length album Songs Of Sonoma Mountain in 2020, to widespread acclaim. It was named one of the 10 best Albums in the Bay Area and garnered features in American Songwriter, No Depression, Sonoma Magazine, and more. Blending field recordings and intricate melodies with live, guitar-based inventive composition, it is a proper introduction to the old-world charm of ISMAY.

Hellman’s musical talent is no surprise, growing up backstage at their grandfather’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, where they were inspired early on by artists such as Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, and Hazel Dickens. Since then, ISMAY has appeared throughout the West Coast at music festivals such as Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Strawberry Music Festival, The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, The Lantern Tour, and at renowned venues such as the Great American Music Hall, Slim’s, the Golden State Theater, and the Mystic Theater. They have opened for acclaimed artists including Steve Earle, Watchhouse (fka Mandolin Orange), Justin Townes Earle, Robert Earl Keen, John Doe, and Chuck Prophet.

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Local favorite Misner & Smith’s music is a combination of soaring vocal harmonies, extremely tight instrumental arrangements, and story-filled, poetic songwriting, adding up to some of the most electrifying music on the scene today. The band’s sound harkens back to the bedrock of american rock & folk, but the diversity of styles and genres are one of the things that set M&S apart. They can shake the walls like a freight train and then quiet the room to a whisper in a single song. With two singers who could easily lead a band independently, Sam and Megan sing with one voice, with music that captures longing and belonging in the same moment. Close your eyes and you’ll be swept up in a sound that you’ll swear is a full band. The combination of musical dexterity and vocal prowess packs a punch that will linger with you for a long time to come.
Misner & Smith’s combination of vocal blend, lyrical potency, and diverse songwriting make this duo one of the most unique and loved bands around. The award-winning original songs range from folk to rock to Americana to country, but essentially are something all their own, defined by the stories that each song tells. Misner & Smith create an extraordinarily full sound for only two people, and tour extensively both in the U.S. and overseas. Headlining regularly at venues such as the Freight & Salvage, and the Palms Playhouse, they have also appeared at The Kate Wolf Music Festival, San Francisco Folk Festival, and can be heard on radio dials all over the world. They recently celebrated over a decade of making music together; a decade that has produced five albums, including their most recent release, headwaters. Tickets are $20.00