On Stage: Peacock, Antigone Rising still going strong

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

Just before the end of last century, two female acts arrived on the music scene and immediately began receiving accolades for their work and started building a solid fan base – Alice Peacock in 1999 and Antigone Rising in 1998.

We’re now approaching the end of the second decade of this century and both acts are still making great music. These acts will be performing on back-to-back nights at The Locks at Sona (4417 Main Street, Manayunk, 484- 273-0481, sonapub.com) – Peacock on December 5 and Antigone Rising on December 6.

Peacock is now playing shows in support of her new album, “Minnesota.” It is her seventh LP release and the follow-up to her last solo studio album, 2009’s “Love Remains.”

“I took time off for life and family,” said Peacock, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon as she drove on the streets of Washington, D.C. on her way to a TV appearance.

“I’ve had three kids and moved to Cincinnati. I’m excited to be out doing shows again. My husband travels for work and just got back. Now, we switch. He’s taking care of the kids and I’m on a plane.

“For me, it’s a nice change from being a full-time mom to a live performer. We have seven-year-old twins – a boy and a girl – and a 10-year-old son.

“I don’t take it for granted that I get to play for people. It’s really a gift – especially after having a family. It’s a challenge finding that balance. I’d love to get back overseas for shows but I can’t get away that long – and I don’t want to.”

The title of “Minnesota” comes from the name of the state where Peacock was born. Some of the album’s songs were written in 2015, the year Peacock took the third annual Real Women Real Songs challenge – which meant writing 52 songs in 52 weeks.

“I made the album in the fall of 2018 when the twins started full-time kindergarten,” said Peacock.

Peacock cites Grammy Award-winning producer/keyboardist Phil Madeira as a driving force behind the album

“My friend Phil Madeira produced the record,” said Peacock. “He’s in Emmylou Harris’ Red Dirt Boys along with guitarist Will Kimbrough, bassist Chris Donahue and drummer Bryan Owings. He called me from Nashville and said the they were all in town and had some free time so I should come down and cut a record.

“They play together all the time so making the album was quick and easy to do – which was especially good with a tight budget. Everything was recorded live. All the vocals were live, and we didn’t overdub anything. We cut the basic tracks in four days at the Butcher Shoppe in Nashville with engineer Sean Sullivan.

“I had been building up songs for a couple years. I had only been doing 8-to-12 shows a year. I had a collection of songs and sent them to Phil. Then, we whittled the list of songs down to 10.

“All the rhythm tracks and vocals were done in two days and then we spent another two days doing the extra stuff. It felt super to be back in the studio again. I love the interplay with other musicians.”

Peacock released her debut album “Real Day” in 1999 and followed with “Alice Peacock” on Aware/Columbia Records—an album that featured backup vocals by John Mayer and Indigo Girl Emily Saliers. Originally, the album was slated to be her second independent release, but good fortune intervened.

“I was a few days away from getting 10,000 copies pressed and releasing the album myself,” said Peacock. “A friend of mine took an advance copy to Gregg Latterman, the president of Aware Records. He asked me to come to a meeting.

“He said he loved the album and wanted to buy it. I liked Aware because they had an indie approach but also had the advantage of having Columbia Records behind them. It was like what I had been doing — only on steroids.”

Peacock’s third album, “Who I Am,” was released on July 4, 2006 – an appropriate day for an artist who had freed herself from the shackles of a major label and successfully embarked on an independent route.

“The album was on my own label – Peacock Music,” said Peacock. “It was self-released with distribution through Universal (Music Group). So, I had the best of both worlds.”

Peacock’s fourth album, “Love Remains,” was co-produced by Danny Myrick and Peacock and released in 2009. Together, they recorded and released the “Myrick/Peacock” album in 2011. Her sixth album was “Live from Space,” which came out in 2014.

Peacock was a theater major in college. Her grandmother Gritta Albrecht Gnass was a cabaret star and composer in Berlin prior to WWII and her grandfather Fritz Gnass was an actor who appeared in Fritz Lang’s “M” and was a member of Bertold Brecht’s Berliner Ensemble.

“I come from a very musical family,” said Peacock, who grew up in a small Minnesota town. “Music has always been a natural way for me to express myself.”

Area fans are looking forward to Peacock’s return to the Delaware Valley.

“I’m excited to be coming back to play Philadelphia,” said Peacock. “I had a lot of good times there with shows at The Point and the Tin Angel. I haven’t played this venue (The Locks at Sona) before so I’m looking forward to it.”

Video link for Alice Peacock – https://youtu.be/mlxrrxYFTUw.

The show at The Locks at Sona, which has Jim Shirey as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18 and $22.

Antigone Rising is an all-female country rock band featuring Nini Camps and sisters Kristen and Cathy Henderson. They are best known for their three-part harmonies and songs that speak to the heart.

In more than 20 years as one of America’s hardest-working bands, Antigone Rising has established a far-reaching reputation for sticking to their instincts. The New York natives’ live performances have earned them a long-term devotion from fans.

Antigone Rising’s passionate social conscience continues to manifest itself in the group’s tireless activism. In 2014, the band launched the ambitious nonprofit organization, Girls Rising, whose live presentations reflect the same passionate belief that drives the trio’s music.

Throughout the year, Girls Rising partners with local school districts and youth centers to create programming that’s designed to inspire and empower young girls and LGBTQ youth through live performances, presentations and workshops.

The band also presents the annual Girls Rising Music Festival and Game Changer Awards, now in its sixth year. The festival showcases female artists the band has mentored, as well as giving them opportunities to perform alongside national Grammy winning artists.

Girls Rising also awards scholarships to deserving girls established through private donations as well as celebrity grants to local youth created by Melissa Etheridge, Joan Jett, Carnie Wilson and most recently, Paula Cole.

“Our direction has changed more in recent years with the advent of Girls Rising,” said Camps, during a phone interview Wednesday morning from her house studio in New York.

“The studio here is where we made our last few records. We use ProTools and some outboard gear.

“We use our voice to talk about things that matter to us. With Girls Rising, we’re putting our energy into empowering girls. Girls Rising is amazing – doing some really great stuff like taking Reach Workshops to schools. The focus is empowering young girls and boys and LGBTQ youth.

The band’s activism is reflected in much of Antigone Rising’s latest work, as the trio continues releasing singles to download and stream throughout the year. 2019’s “It’s Gonna Be Alright” is an optimistic spin during a time of political unrest. The band’s follow-up release, “Avalanche,” is an anthem for young girls and women everywhere to stand up and be heard. 

Over the last two decades-plus, Antigone Rising has released 11 albums and two EPs — starting with “Snapshot” in 1998.

“Kris and Cathy are the matriarchs of the group,” said Camps. “They started the first version of the band when they were in college. Then, they hit New York full-time 25 years ago as a sister act.

“I’ve been with the band for 10 years now. They were going through changes in the line-up and I was in limbo about continuing on as a solo artist. We spent time hanging out as friends and decided to get together musically.

“The first album I did with them was ‘Live for the Bitter End’ in 2010. The material we play now in our live show dates back to that album. We do play some songs from previous incarnations – but not many.”

Fans can expect some new Antigone Rising music in 2020.

“We have four or five songs that are done and completely ready to go,” said Camps. “We haven’t created an album in a while. We’re struggling to find the right way to put it out in this era of the singles/album conundrum. Our fans still want CDs. We might put out the new songs as a group on Spotify.”

No matter how the new songs are delivered they are sure to deliver Antigone Rising’s trademarks — well-crafted tunes with powerful messages.

Video link for Antigone Rising – https://youtu.be/A9lYqkLAkuw.

The show at The Locks at Sona, which has Marion Halliday as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.

Another upcoming show at The Locks at Sona is Twisted Pine on December 7.

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) will host “3 Stories High – Reunion Show!” on December 6, and “Nik Everett’s 35th Anniversary Celebration Concert” on December 7.

The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com) will host Wake Up John with Stella Ruze on December 7 and Philadelphia Main Line Ukulele Group on December 8.

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389, www.ardmoremusic.com) will present Golden Gate Wingmen on December 5, Consider the Source and Out of the Beardspeace on December 6, and Eric Bellinger on December 7.

The Living Room (35 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, https://thelivingroomat35east.com) will host Jason Ager, Justin Trawick and Griefcat on December 5, Dan Navarro with special guest Laura Mann on December 6, and Stevie and the Bluescasters on December 7.

118 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com will host The Describers, The Barrel Fires and Katie Barbato on December 5, Mike Zito and Jamie McLean Band on December 6, Boat House Row on December 7, Jim Fogarty and Paul Wilkinson on December 8, and Brian Collins on December 10.

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650, www.keswicktheatre.com) presents Blood, Sweat and Tears on December 5, Beatles vs. Stones on December 6, and Love & Laughter on December 7.

Annenberg Center (3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, https://annenbergcenter.org/events) will host Dianne Reeves on December 8.

The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808, www.st94.com) presents Stanley Jordan Plays Jimi Hendrix on December 5, Rob Schneider on December 6, The Drifters & Cornell Gunter’s Coasters Holiday Hop on December 7, The Lettermen Christmas Show on December 8, “Irish Christmas In America” on December 9, Bill Kirchen’s Honky Tonk Holiday with Beats Walkin’ on December 10, and Live & Local with Serene Green, Under The Oak & Cirotti Trio on December 11.

The Grand Opera House (818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-652-5577, www.thegrandwilmington.org) will present “Irish Christmas In America” on December 11.

The Xcite Center at Parx Casino (2999 Street Road, Bensalem, 888-588-7279, https://parxcasino.com) will host LeAnn Rimes on December 5.