The Church of The Lost Souls: Billy McLaughlin & SimpleGifts w. special guest, Michael Monroe
Sunday, February 14, 2021
3:45 pm Doors/4:30 pm Show
$29 Advance/$39 At The Door
All Ages
*Limited In-Person Tickets on sale Friday, Jan. 22 beginning at 8 am CST*
In-person seating will follow state pandemic guidelines; patrons must be masked and practice social distancing. This performance will also be made available as a "pay what you can" livestream here and also at BillyMcLaughlin.com.
Ticket purchases are final and non-refundable.
It’s not really a church. And you don’t have to be lost or found to attend or tune in.
But this new weekly concert series beginning on Valentine’s Day hopes to raise spirits and share the love of live music.
Performed by award-winning composer & guitarist Billy McLaughlin and his band SimpleGifts, and including a mid-concert set by special guest, national recording artist Michael Monroe, a mainstay of the Minnesota music scene. Featuring an eclectic mix of originals and classic covers, capped off with a Q&A between Billy and the week’s special guest.
"As a kid, my first chance to play guitar was Sundays at my church. Problem was,
the music director kept telling us [that] the songs we really wanted to play were not allowed,” says award-winning composer & guitarist, Billy McLaughlin. “After all these years I thought it would be fun to share whatever feels right [and] that could send people into Mondays with a good feeling!"
The ‘message’ of The Church of The Lost Souls is the music, which will range from McLaughlin's new guitar and vocal compositions to favorite older work from his expansive catalog, to more universal fare that may include everything from classic artists like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Bob Marley, The Beatles, Sly and the Family Stone — along with current favorites in contemporary music.
Billy McLaughlin has been changing people’s idea of what an acoustic guitar can sound like since the 1980’s. He is recognized as an innovative performer and composer who embraces the advantages of acoustic guitar amplification, unorthodox techniques and altered tunings while celebrating a gift for melody. His enormous yet fluid acoustic guitar tone has carried him around the world, to Billboard’s Top-Ten Chart and most recently through a devastating medical disorder called focal dystonia. McLaughlin has had to re-learn the guitar left-handed and is in the early stages of what might be described as ‘one of the great musical-comeback stories of all time.” His story is the subject of an award-winning documentary film called Changing Keys – Billy McLaughlin and the Mysteries of Dystonia.
“…you may swear Billy McLaughlin is two of the greatest acoustic guitarists you’ve ever heard.” — Pittsburgh Post Gazette
“… it’s amazing that such an extensive sound comes from one instrument.”
— Chicago Sun Times
Joining McLaughlin will be his signature band, SimpleGifts, featuring versatile singers Kathleen Johnson, Karen Paurus, Amy Courts, and Celtic multi-instrumentalist Laura MacKenzie.
“Minnesota acoustic music master” (Star Tribune) and Emmy award-winning musician Michael Monroe is now in his fifth decade of national performance, having travelled many miles since his first paid performance for an audience of 4000 and recording his first demo 30 years ago in a “chicken coop” studio owned by Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary.
Monroe’s unique creation of music mesmerizes his audiences, as he blends his rich vocals, guitar, and bamboo and glass flutes, combining acoustic folk and jazzy reggae influences to create his own signature style. . Known for his original music and compelling stage presence that makes his performances as much fun as they are innovative…music and technology working together powered by creativity. His soulful performances delight and inspire.