The Ballroom Thieves

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Meredith Brockington

A close-up of The Ballroom Thieves.

The Ballroom Thieves

The Massachusetts-based indie folkers The Ballroom Thieves are now a duo Martin Earley (guitar, vocals) and Calin Peters (bass, cello, vocals) come up with stunning harmonies and shed infectious energy live. They’ve played dream sets at Newport Folk Festival — and should fit right in at the intimate Stoughton Opera House.

$25.

media release: As acclaimed indie folk band The Ballroom Thieves wrote and recorded their 5th full-length Sundust, one central question emerged as the theme: “What if we could all just be a little more tender?” The duo – Calin Peters (vocals, cello, bass) and Martin Earley (vocals, guitar) – started to ponder what they could do to be more self-aware of their mental health and those around them in a world oversaturated by social media, pop culture, and digital consumption. The result is a lush, 10-track collection of thoughts on the human experience. It’s about self-awareness, breaking down walls that trauma creates, and healing from harshness, while also finding the glimmers, the striking beauty of being a person, and a longing for connection with people.

On the inspiration behind these songs, the duo shares, “These songs are a tender exploration on breaking cycles and living with more compassion and kindness.”

For the recording of Sundust, the band made a conscious decision to forgo the traditional studio environment (a slight departure from previous projects), choosing instead to work from their makeshift studio at home in Mid-coast Maine. With the help of co-producer Dan Cardinal and drummer Cody Iwasiuk, the resulting sounds reflect the remote coziness of the location, from the sparse, cushy drum and bass groove in album opener “Everything is Everything,” to the buzzing, lively organ pulsing through “Right on Time,” to the interplay between Peters’ crystalline vocal and blooming cello in the steady build of “Casual,” to the pair’s signature vocal harmonies atop a lithely finger-picked acoustic guitar and haunting pedal steel that weaves itself effortlessly into “Tender.”

“We would often find ourselves in deep, meaningful conversations with the talented friends we were creating with, swapping similar stories of cycle breaking and our growing compassion for ourselves and others. It seems like a lot of us are trying to heal, and it’s inspiring to make art with people who are doing the work,” share Earley and Peters

For more than a decade, Earley and Peters have been combining their thoughts and musical abilities. They’ve toured the US dozens of times, ventured into Europe, and Canada, and even managed a journey from Maine to Hawaii to Alaska in one trip, all to play their music for the dedicated fanbase they’ve been steadily growing, person by person. The two have played beautiful theaters like Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood, well-loved festivals such as Newport Folk, and legendary rock rooms like LA’s Troubadour all across the country. They’ve been known to power slide across stages on bloody knees with their full band and silence-packed rooms for 90 minutes with their lyrics and harmonies, accompanied only by a cello and an acoustic guitar during their more intimate duo shows.

Sundust is available on all digital retailers; click HERE.

Their radiant fifth studio album ‘Sundust,’ is a spirited, soul-stirring, and sun-kissed collection of folk-pop songs shining a warm light out on all who listen.” - ATWOOD MAGAZINE

“A musical gut-punch.”  - NO DEPRESSION

“Lush, omnivorous...tight harmonies and humane, anthemic songwriting to embrace a timeless and mature sound.” -  THE BOSTON GLOBE

“Intimate confessions.”  - UNDER THE RADAR

"The Ballroom Thieves offer listeners a soft, safe place to land." - PORTLAND PRESS HERALD