Singer-songwriter Kray Van Kirk bringing music, stories to Ashton
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ASHTON — Singer, songwriter and guitarist Kray Van Kirk will bring an evening of music and storytelling to Warm River Studio in Ashton on Saturday, Sept. 12.
The performance begins at 7 p.m. at the studio, located at 612 Main Street. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with complimentary refreshments available. Tickets are $20.
Van Kirk is a finger-style guitarist and singer-songwriter whose performances combine original music with storytelling and elements of mythology, history and social commentary.
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Originally trained as a scientist, Van Kirk earned a doctorate from the University of Alaska before turning his attention to songwriting and performing.
His sixth album, “Empire,” was released in March and explores themes of justice, conflict and renewal.
Van Kirk’s songs often place familiar figures from mythology, folklore, and popular culture in unexpected settings. His song “Thunderbird,” for example, imagines the Phoenix appearing in a desert diner in the American Southwest.
Another song, “The Queen of Elfland,” brings the legendary Thomas the Rhymer into a modern subway car. Other songs feature characters ranging from Superman to supernatural figures of justice.
“We are driven by myth and the seasons of the heart,” Van Kirk said. “There is a reason for hero stories, hidden in plain sight and cloaked in the everyday.”
Van Kirk has performed internationally, including in Edinburgh, Scotland, where the Daily Fringe Review praised his 12-string guitar playing and vocals.
Tickets and additional information are available at warmriverstudio.com.