concert series

at the UUFCC

Untangled Strings Concert Series - Mark Erelli

Mark Erelli, singer and songwriter, will hit the stage on November 5 at 8pm at the UUFCC (780 Waupelani Dr. Extension, State College). Erelli, originally from Reading, Massachusetts, began his musical career after winning the prestigious Kerrville New Folk contest, joining the ranks of past winners such as Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith. On his non-stop touring schedule, he shares the stage with the likes of Dave Alvin, John Hiatt, and Gillian Welch and together with Lori McKenna, opened each night for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's tour in 2007. He accompanied Josh Ritter on a UK tour that led him to London's Royal Albert Hall. Erelli's albums spent weeks in the top ten of the Americana radio charts and garnered four Boston Music Award nominations.

Connecting his Master's degree in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, he was one of eight artists invited to the UK to write songs inspired by the life and work of Charles Darwin, which culminated in the live recording The Darwin Song Project. Erelli's warm sound is uplifting to the ear and soul and his music embodies many of the best qualities of the folk-populist lineage that began with Woody Guthrie, and is carried today by Bruce Springsteen and others. He sings as if his heart is about to break as he ticks off a list of global woes: suicide bombings, trapped coalminers, deceitful electioneering. He is railing against politics or the war in Iraq or the Bush adminstration's bungled response to Hurricane Katrina.

Tickets are $15 at the door.