Tonight we welcome back Red Molly, a trio of women whose harmonies are an absolute joy to hear. Born at Falcon Ridge in 2004, this group has delighted audiences ever since (including a me& thee performance a couple of years ago). Combine a raucous washboard, sliding steel guitar, and two resounding voices and you have Avi &Celia, who will be opening the show. Their original music simmers with hip-bending, blue-tinged melodies.

Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner and Carolann Solebello harmonized for the very first time late one evening in July, 2004 at a Falcon Ridge Folk Festival campsite. As they sang their campmates off to sleep, they knew they had stumbled into something extraordinary. Audiences seem to agree. Since that summer night, Red Molly has garnered a devoted regional fan base, and has begun laying the groundwork for national touring. These ladies have a lot of fun on stage, and it’s contagious. Red Molly consistently brings concert-goers to their feet with stunning three-part harmonies, crisp musicianship, and a warm, engaging stage presence.

The magic of Red Molly stems partly from the richness and diversity of each member’s “pre-Molly” experiences. Laurie (vocals, guitar, banjo) left a career in psychology to pursue her love of singing. She worked for several years as a backup singer, and also released two solo albums, These Old Clothes (1999) and The Things I Choose To Do (2004). Abbie (vocals, Dobro, guitar) has a background in jazz, bluegrass, classical and a cappella music. She released two solo albums, My Craziest Dream (2004), a collection of swing standards featuring her father Herb Gardner on piano, and Honey on My Grave (2006), a collection of acoustic originals. In May 2008, she released a duo album, Bad Nights/Better Days, with Anthony da Costa. Carolann (vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin) spent several years as a professional theater actor before releasing her solo album, Just Across the Water (2000). She went on to release two albums with power folk quartet CC Railroad, Smile Whatever (2001) and Black Horse Motel (2004).

In July 2006, Red Molly’s first full-length CD, Never Been to Vegas, was released. This collection of fourteen carefully-chosen songs that span more than a century of great American songwriting quickly climbed into the Top 30 on the Radio & Records Americana chart, a rare accomplishment for an independent album. And listeners of WUMB radio Boston voted the CD one of the Top 10 CDs of 2006. Red Molly’s newest release, Love and Other Tragedies (2008), is their first full-length studio album. The new album features a fuller, more “polished” sound than their previous releases. The ladies incorporated more original songs into the mix this time. Songs written by Laurie, Abbie, and Carolann mingle admirably with songs by well-known contemporary writers Gillian Welch and Susan Werner, up-and-coming artists Amy Speace and George Wirth, traditional American gospel tunes, and standards from the bluegrass and jazz worlds.

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Avi & Celia met at the University of Vermont in 2003 and soon afterward decided to pursue music together. After performing in several combinations throughout college they independently released their debut record, Off the Floor (March 2007). The release of their album and their explosive entrance into the Burlington music scene prompted famed music venue Higher Ground to award them Artist of The Month in March 2007. Since moving to Cambridge, MA from Vermont, Avi & Celia have focused on making music expressly for the people: trying to integrate and inspire those of all backgrounds, races, and classes. Their new album, Let it Rise, (independently released, September, 2008) combines this hopeful idealism with personal commentary on social and political agendas. The song structures and deep blues inflections intuitively weave through the lyrical content. Both deeply personal and politically charged, Let It Rise is a collection of stories that the Seven Days calls “powerful and believable.” Avi & Celia have been consistently touring the eastern United States, building a loyal fan base over the last several years. They have performed at legendary venues and festivals such as the Iron Horse Music Hall, Club Passim, Higher Ground, The Paradise, Champlain Valley Folk Festival, and the Discover Jazz Festival.

Photo by Dominick Villano

Everything Red Molly sings is delivered with tick-tight arrangements, crystalline vocals, and caramel harmonies. But what is most striking is the ardor they bring to everything they do, whether snuggling into the sweet parochialism of an old spiritual, or the gritty pathos of a Gillian Welch tune. They come on less like stars strutting for their minions than pals sharing their favorite songs. In the friendly world of the coffeehouse, that remains a starmaking quality. Scott Alarik, The Boston Globe

These chicks create a sound straight out of their living room, with enough polish for a concert hall. Their voices transcend all. Robert Price, The New Jersey Herald

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Avi & Celia combine sexy roots swagger with populist fire. The Boston Globe

Immaculately crafted, rock-tinged blues-folk. Seven Days

Their second album features “Rollin’ and Tumblin’ ” and a variety of other tracks, some feel-good and some that take on more serious issues like war and capitalism. You can find this idealism in every song, which is rare in the modern folk arena, and that is the main reason that Let it Rise has the potential to make their dreams a reality. WERS