Those Sensible Shoes &Mark Dignam w/ Nathan Zoob

Doors are at 8 PM. Show is at 9 PM.

Tickets are $10 in advance, and $12 at the door.

Those Sensible Shoes

Those Sensible Shoes are Anthony Mulcahy and Rachel Stern.  They formed in the summer of 2014 after meeting at a Big City Folk event and started writing and performing together soon thereafter. Beginning with a cover of Bloodbuzz Ohio by the National, recorded in the backroom of a Brooklyn bar, they soon moved on to writing their own original music. They experiment with intricate harmonies and unique lyrics, inspired by their own distinctive backgrounds. The concept of a duo is key to Those Sensible Shoes, and their music emphasizes the beauty of two voices together.

Rachel (vocals) is from New York City and has been writing and performing for a couple of years. She grew up listening to the Band, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, which formed her musical sense from an early age. Untrained but always singing since age 4, Stern has cultivated a unique vocal sound that she brings to Those Sensible Shoes. She has been heavily influenced in her own songwriting by Laura Marling, Nick Drake, and the Milk Carton Kids. Stern's lyrics and voice are the backbone to the band.

Anthony (guitar & vocals) is from Waterford, Ireland and has been writing and performing all over Ireland, the UK and the US for 12+ years.  With 2 solo albums (Lazy Days (2010), For My Sins (2013)) under his belt to date this is his first band release. He has been most influenced by David Gray and Glen Hansard, who he had the pleasure of performing with in the past. He has also performed with Mundy, Mark Geary, David Wax Museum and many more. Mulcahy brings his musical experience, deft guitar playing and soulful vocals to the band, completing the unique duo.

Those Sensible Shoes perform all over New York City and New Jersey as well as performing at music festivals in Ireland. Their debut self-titled album released on October 1st 2015 has already had radio play in Ireland (Irish Beats - Beat 102/103FM) and has led to another sold-out show at the famous Rockwood Music Hall's Stage 3. They are touring Ireland in April 2016, performing in famous venues such as Whelans, Coughlan's Live, and at the Ruby Sessions.  

Mark Dignam

Born in Ireland, Mark Dignam grew up in the adventurous North Side Dublin suburb of Finglas, His father was a truck driver, his Mother was a typical Irish housewife of the time, except she sang around the house – a lot.

A noticeable vocal talent led him to dream big and to leave the neighborhood as soon as he possibly could, finding a very cheap (read - no heat!) apartment in an old Georgian tenement in the city center, at the age of 18.

First, busking on city streets for pocket change and exposure, along with his friends, Glen Hansard (The Frames, The Swell Season, Oscar winner for best song for the indie movie - Once), Mic Christopher (The Mary Janes), KIla (Irish Traditional supergroup) among others; they quickly became the darlings of Grafton Street, a well-known center, of Dublin busking,; counting among their audience such luminaries as The Waterboys, Van Morrison, and Sinead O'Connor.

Mark struck out on his own in the nineties, releasing the acclaimed Poetry and Songs From the Wheel in 1995. The album, named a top ten best debut of 1995 by Ireland's Hot Press Magazine, cementing Mark's reputation as a powerful voice on the singer/songwriter circuit.

He's continued to release records, from 1997's In a Time of Overstatement, a stark collection of spiritual and political musings, to 2005's Box Heart Man, chosen as one of WYEP Pittsburgh's top picks for 2005. Mark has been invited to open for, or tour with: The Swell Season, David Gray, Billy Bragg, Joan Armatrading, Richard Thompson, Mike Nichols (of The Alarm) among others...

Today, when he isn't touring with his band "The House of Song," or at home with his family, Mark is in the studio preparing his long-awaited follow up to Box Heart Man, "Re-Build," recorded live at Treelady Studios in Pennsylvania.

Nathan Zoob

Born in NYC, Zoob has lived and played in Pittsburgh for nearly seven years. Equally comfortable playing folk, rock, blues, indie pop, and soul, he is this town's GO TO guitarist and arranger (do not look into that last statement in any meaningful way please.)