Robbie Fulks & Heather Maloney – 11/10

“It’s time to make a change,” Robbie Fulks declares at the start of Now Then, his second album on Nashville’s Compass Records. This statement is familiar to anyone who follows this critically acclaimed and GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter’s career. Since emerging in the 1990s as a pioneer of today’s Americana movement, Fulks has consistently explored different sounds, genres, and themes across 16 albums, performing on stages from the Grand Ole Opry and Late Night with Conan O’Brien to the Hollywood Bowl and Jimmy Kimmel Live with Steve Martin, Alison Brown, and Tim O’Brien. That restless spirit lies at the heart of Now Then. Like a well-stocked jukebox in your favorite bar, the 12 songs on Now Then range from folk to power pop, jazz to old-time country. But the perspective threaded through each one comes from the realization that the time behind you spans a greater distance than what lies ahead. “It’s from an older person’s outlook, and mostly true,” Fulks says. “The tone is about 70 percent reflective, 20 percent amused, and 10 percent angry.” Fulks gained recognition for his instrumental virtuosity and powerful songwriting. Artists like Sam Bush, Andrew Bird, John Cowan, the Old 97’s, and Hiss Golden Messenger have covered his songs, and he has released full albums reinterpreting the works of Michael Jackson and Bob Dylan, along with two collections of unreleased songs and rarities totaling 103 tracks. His creative ventures include an unhinged 2013 collaboration with the punk legends The Mekons, productions of albums by alt-country songwriters Brennen Leigh and Dallas Wayne, and a fiery duo with rockabilly pioneer Linda Gail Lewis. Fulks also performs with comic improvisers; he is a regular at Second City’s holiday fundraisers and has shared the stage with talents like Michael McKean, Tina Fey, Bob Odenkirk, and Fred Armisen. Massachusetts-based “writer song-singer” Heather Maloney found music in the midst of three years at a meditation center, honing a sound moored in days of silent reflection and reverence for storytellers like Joni, Rilke, Ken Burns, and the anonymous authors of Zen parables. While she eventually traded the quiet, structured life of a yogi for the kinetic life of a touring musician, the core of her songwriting has remained centered around same curiosity about our inner world and the desire to articulate it through storytelling. With over 1,000 international shows and 8 studio albums under her belt, she is now on the brink of releasing her 9th and most personal record to date, “Exploding Star” (out January 31, 2025). Written in the wake of her father’s death, “Exploding Star” is a collection of 12 songs that Maloney originally had no intentions of recording or releasing until some of her closest friends and family convinced her otherwise. From tracking for 2 days in her abandoned childhood home, to playing her father’s guitar throughout the record, “Exploding Star” is packed with the sonic, lyrical and emotional details of a life story — and the result is something celebratory and heartbreaking all at once. Heather’s songs have played on NPR stations across the country and her live appearances have aired on syndicated programming like eTown and AudioTree. Her song “Nightstand Drawer” was featured in the season finale of the CBS TV series “Elementary”, and her songs have also been streamed hundreds of thousands of times on editorial Spotify playlists & Starbucks’ in-store nationwide playlists. As well as a songwriter and performer, Heather is an illustrator and linocut artist who carves and prints visual representations of her songs on a variety of mediums. Heather has toured throughout the US & Canada as a headliner and also in support of acts including Lake Street Dive, Shakey Graves, Gary Clark Jr., Rodrigo y Gabriela, Colin Hay (Men at Work), Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shawn Colvin, Dar Williams and many more. “Lyrics that cut to the chase” – Huffington Post “Utterly gorgeous – visceral.” – Val Haller, New York Times “Her not-so-secret weapon is that voice ”– Boston Globe “Delicious… really excellent” – Graham Nash “…stunning, breathy, and starkly memorable.” – SPIN Magazine DOORS: 5:30PM SHOWTIME: 7PM TICKET INFO: The 443 is an intimate listening room with table service that seats 75 people. The green squares/circles on the floor plan are bar-height tables, and the orange squares are regular-height tables. Most of our seats are sold as “Tables for Two” – meaning the ticket admits TWO people. We have a limited number of single seats available, and single attendees may be sharing a table with other single attendees. Multiple tickets purchased under the same name will automatically be seated together (up to 6 people). Requesting a specific table is a perk reserved for our VIP Patron members. If you’re interested in supporting our mission, you can find membership information HERE. If anyone in your party needs special seating arrangements – walker, cane, service animal, wheelchair, low table requirement, or you want to be seated with another party – please email us after you place your order.