R.O. Shapiro, Cuchulain
Schedule
Thu Feb 23 2023 at 08:00 pm
Location
The Back Room, 1984 Bonita Avenue, Berkeley, 94704 | Berkeley, CA
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Distinctive singer/songwriter R.O. Shapiro returns to The Back Room with special guest Cuchulain!R.O. (Raphael Odell) Shapiro was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up in Sag Harbor, an old whaling town at the very eastern end of Long Island. He started performing at an early age, first with dance and then musical theater, before picking up guitar at the end of high school.
He attended Yale University, still focusing on theater, but spent a lot of his evenings singing with a cappella groups, a rock band, and a choral folk ensemble called Tangled Up In Blue, or TUIB. After graduating he moved to New York City to pursue acting, but also started picking up some small venue gigs. When he realized that he was more excited about playing dive bars than Broadway, he packed up and headed out west to California.
There he teamed up with fellow TUIB alum, Jenner Fox , forming the band Odell Fox. They started touring almost immediately, cultivating an energetic and intimate live show experience that R.O. has continued to build upon as a solo artist. They moved to Austin, TX, where they released two records, the Moon Shiner EP, in 2016, and Thank You, in 2017. When the band parted ways at the end of 2017, R.O. stayed in Austin, gigging regularly in the hallowed venues of that world famous music scene. It was then he developed the full-band, electrified sound that you can hear on 2020’s King Electric Sessions, his first release since leaving Odell Fox.
These days he typically tours solo, allowing for a focus on his distinctive turns of phrase and acrobatic vocals, always accompanied by an easy and warm stage presence. R.O. has drawn comparisons to Ray LaMontagne, Josh Ritter, and Nathaniel Rateliff, and is currently based in San Diego, CA.
Cuchulain is a low-voiced songwriter with a wry wit. The NPR Music-featured folk singer released an album of long distance pandemic collaborations called FEAT on Nov 5, 2021 that has been called "an as-yet-unpublished portion of the Great American Songbook." Cuchulain's deep baritone and clever lyrics have drawn comparisons to Randy Newman, Leonard Cohen, and Johnny Cash. From rooms as big as the Kennedy Center or as small as a friend's living room, Cuchulain's lyrics have brought laughs and tears to audiences across the US. His Sing In The Shower single release tour took him across the US and Europe in the summer of 2022. His new single “That’s Right, I’m Millenial!” is out now and taking the world by storm.
Tickets are $20 general admission, $10 for low-income individuals. Children under 12 are free. Advance tickets are available at the link below, or you may purchase your tickets at the door the night of the show. Doors open one half hour before show time. We accept cash or Venmo only at the door.
The Back Room is an all-ages, BYOB (for those 21+) space, dedicated to (mostly) acoustic music of all kinds. You are welcome to bring your own food and adult beverages with no additional corkage fee. The venue is ADA accessible. If you need more information or have any questions, please call us: #510-381-1997.
Thank you for your support!
A Message About Our Indoor Shows:
Our indoor shows require that you wear a mask except when eating or drinking. The performers will be mask-less and same-day tested.
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Where is it happening?
The Back Room, 1984 Bonita Avenue, Berkeley, 94704, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
Tickets
USD 10.00 to USD 20.00
