CELEBRATING OVER 40 YEARS OF MAKING MUSIC!

10,000 Maniacs featuring Mary Ramsey will perform at Musikfest Cafe, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, PA on Tuesday, April 26 at 7:00 p.m.  Doors open at 6:00 p.m.  This event is open to patrons of all ages. Tickets are $35 and $45. For more information call 610-297-7100 or visit artsquest.org.

2021 marked the 40-year anniversary of the inception of 10,000 Maniacs. Founded in 1981 in Jamestown, NY, 10,000 Maniacs has weathered few personnel chang370es and is still anchored by 4 out of 6 of the original members: Steven Gustafson, Dennis Drew, John Lombardo and Jerry Augustyniack.  Founding lead singer, Natalie Merchant, left in 1993 to pursue a solo career and was replaced by back-up singer, Mary Ramsey, who proved to be a natural fit for the band vocally and added another dimension to the group with her prowess on violin and viola.  Sadly, founding member, Robert Buck, passed away in 2000 and was replaced by his longtime guitar tech, Jeff Erickson.  For 10,000 Maniacs, it really is about keeping it all in the family.

10,000 Maniacs is one of the most enduring and recognizable bands from the early “alternative rock” movement having released close to 20 albums.  Their critically acclaimed, break-out album, In My Tribe, was included in Rolling Stone Magazine’s “100 Best Albums Of The Eighties.”  In 1993, 10,000 Maniacs made their iconic performance on MTV’s “Unplugged”; the released recording of that show would go on to sell millions of copies. All told the band has sold over 10 million albums, with 8 Billboard Hot 100 singles, and has made countless appearances on national TV, including Saturday Night Live, The Late Show With David Letterman, and more.  Their music continues to be heard in films and TV shows.

Now back on the road after a lengthy, but productive, break due to the pandemic, 10,000 Maniacs is doing what they love the most, which is bringing their music to their fans, both old and new.  For the live experience, the band pulls from their entire catalogue and continues to earn rave reviews for their performances. Ramsey comments, “It was a happy day when we all in the arts and everyday life were able to start experiencing the freedom to breathe and be in safe and nurturing environments. I have been energized by our amazing and loyal fans.” While Drew adds, “I’m thrilled to be out and playing with my best friends again. I feel rejuvenated. Like Joni Mitchell sang ‘Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone?’  I know what I have…a strong and loving family at home and a strong and loving, creative and exciting family on stage.”

The time off the road gave the band time to write new material, with a couple dozen new tunes in the works for a new studio album. Gustafson expounds, “We had been on a steady diet of touring for about 10 years straight without much time off so It was a shock to be completely shut down.  We had been complaining about not finding the time to write and record songs together and the pandemic made that time for us.  We began writing and recording in summer of 2021. It was fun to get back in the studio but for now, we have to focus on touring to fulfill our obligations for all the shows that had to be rescheduled.”

10,000 Maniacs includes: Mary Ramsey, lead vocals, viola; Steven Gustafson, bass guitar; Dennis Drew, keyboard; Jeff Erickson, guitar; John Lombardo, guitar; and Jerome Augustyniak, drums.

For more information visit:
http://www.maniacs.com