“The Swell Season” have easily established themselves as the quintessential 21st-century folk-rock twosome. Made up of angst-ridden Irish singer/songwriter Glen Hansard and Czech pianist/vocalist Markéta Irglová, the power-duo have been performing together since their rise to prominence in 2007 after starring in the new-age musical, “Once”, which scored them an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
“The Swell Season” will be bringing their heart-wrenching blend of lyric, pain and melody to the world-famous Hollywood Bowl on Sunday July 18th 2010 @ 7PM.
To balance out Hansard and Irglova’s surplus of ‘love gone wrong’ songs is another folk-rock duo, “She and Him”, comprised of actress Zooey Deschanel and indie-rock master, Matthew Steven Ward (more commonly known as M.Ward). Newer to the scene than “The Swell Season”, “She and Him’s” musical eye-line is lighter in tone and theme. The pair spent the first year of their working relationship E-mailing tracks back and forth and finding days in between their respective schedules to record in Portland, Oregon. Finally after three years of toiling on the collaborative tracks, “She and Him” released their highly-acclaimed first album, “Volume One” in 2008, followed by “Volume Two” in March 2010.
Rounding out the night of male-female folk duos is “The Bird and the Bee”, the upbeat jazz-influenced electro-pop group comprised of feminine-rocker Inara George (the bird) and mega indie producer/singer/songwriter Greg Kurstin (the bee).
Although The Hollywood Bowl’s up-close and personal Garden & Terrace Seating is sold out, we suggest grabbing seats in one of the less-glamorous sections, popping open a bottle of summer wine and soaking up some of folk rock’s finest.
