Birds of Chicago Perform at The Lodge at Leathem Smith

Birds of Chicago, a collective based around singer/songwriters JT Nero and Allison Russell, will perform at The Lodge at Leathem Smith on June 22 at 8 pm.

Nero (also of JT and the Clouds) is a strange and distinct songwriter – he lists Mark Twain and Sam Cooke among his biggest influences. With the Clouds he’s a rock n’ roll preacher – with Birds of Chicago he digs deeper into darker, often fantastical nuances of his work.

There’s not much Russell (also of Po’ Girl) can’t sing. She’s got a bit of the speakeasy chanteuse in her, a bit of old R&B, but with a delicacy and clarity of phrasing that Ma Carter or Loretta Lynn would surely approve. She plays banjo, ukulele, guitar, and clarinet.

The Nero/Russell combination first struck gold on the JT Nero solo release, Mountains/Forests (No. 2 on the American UK Critic’s List for 2011.) Realizing their chemistry, they formed Birds of Chicago as a vehicle for their shared musical vision, and have since toured virtually non-stop. The eponymous Birds of Chicago enjoyed over 10 weeks in the CMJ Top 200, peaking at #95.

Tickets are $10. The Lodge at Leathem Smith is located at 1640 Memorial Drive, Sturgeon Bay. For more information call 920.743.5555 or visit thelodgeatls.com.