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Award-winning Austin, Texas band “The DEER” are set to perform at the Tryon Fine Arts Center on the Veh Main Stage on Saturday, September 10 at 7 p.m.

 

The DEER have built a devoted audience for their uninhibited, cosmic indie folk the old-fashioned way: playing their hearts out, night after night. 

 

“The people in North Carolina remind us of home, but it’s mixed with that almost gritty east coast spirit, and they never hesitate to tell you the truth,” says The DEER frontwoman Grace Rowland. 

 

The DEER formed in Marcos, Texas, a half hour south of Austin, where the members attended Texas State University. The group got its start by performing folky songs Rowland wrote under the band name “Grace Park and The Deer.”  Rowland says the band’s first album Argument for Observation was so well-received that they started to tour.  The band rotated players for a while until one of its dear friends and backup singers were killed in a tragic accident.

 

“We galvanized after that, and it was just four of us for a time,” says Rowland. “We changed the band name to The DEER, and started filling out the sound, adding layers of texture with fiddle and mandolin.”

In addition to writing songs, Rowland sings and plays the keyboard and guitar. Jesse Dalton also writes songs, plays bass, guitar, and keyboard, and sings backup. Michael McLeod plays guitar and handles recording and producing duties. Alan Eckert plays drums, piano, and keyboard and sings. Noah Jeffries plays fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and bass.

 

Rowland says The DEER has been influenced by Radiohead, Pink Floyd, The Punch Brothers, Vashti Bunyan, Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear, and Portishead. The band plays a wide range of songs from haunting melodies to high-energy folk. At the September 10th concert, the band will also play songs from its brand-new album “The Beautiful Undead” which will be released the previous day.

 

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Concessions, including beer and wine, will be sold before and during the show. For more information or to purchase tickets go to www.tryonarts.org/events or call TFAC at 828-859-8322, Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

 

 

 

Submitted by Debra Torrence