ACFOTA presents concert from well-known artists, HALEY and Alan Sparhawk

Haley is a bright, subtle storyteller who displays a mastery of pop-rock craftsmanship that keeps songs as relentlessly catchy on the surface as they are alluringly complex underneath. (National Public Radio)

…barbed power-pop tunes that sting so sweetly that it’s only after the fact you consider you might need a tetanus shot. (Pitchfork)

HALEY (Bonar/McCallum, who now goes by the stage name HALEY) is more than a hard-working musician. She is an innovator, creative and a visionary dug into the trenches of living. She writes genuine, epochal and poetic tales that feel like our heartbreak, failure, frustration and joy. In a clear, insistent, and often haunting voice, she tells real stories back to us, as if they were our own. She had already recorded an album as a teenager before leaving Rapid City, South Dakota for Duluth—where she immediately recorded again. 

Alan Sparhawk heard her at the Norshor Theater in Duluth one night – and a week later, she was transformed from a college student to an ambitious dropout with her guitar and a drummer crammed into a Honda Civic opening for Alan’s band Low. She was 19 years old. That’s a story already. But—there is more to this story. In the last decade, Haley has released 10 more recordings to critical acclaim and mounting success: touring, festivals, capturing awards and artist grants, inventive video productions, placing song tracks on prime TV shows and popular film, appearing on myriad Best-Of lists while continuing to write and perform locally. 

She also had a baby in there somewhere. It’s no accident that her creative prowess drew the attention and respect of fellow collaborators like Lana Del Rey, Justin Vernon, Dave King, Andrew Bird and Lucius. And she recently announced that she’s expecting another child. 

Alan Sparhawk is a prolific world-renowned musician and artist based in Minnesota. He is best known as the guitarist and vocalist for the internationally famous band Low. Rolling Stone Magazine once called them “The most famous band you’ve probably never heard of – but need to.” Their most recent album, “Hey What” was nominated for a Grammy Award. He will be performing with his newest outfit, Derecho, comprised of himself on guitar and vocals, his son Cyrus on bass guitar, Al Church on drums, and Izzy Cruz on percussion.

“Their backstory, including how my own ties into both, are sure to make this particular evening a very, very special one – because it’s happening nowhere else in the world except lil’ ol’ Aitkin,” said area local, Christian McShane. 

General admission and VIP tickets can be purchased at https://fota.ticketleap.com/haley/

For more information see the Aitkin County Friends of the Arts on Facebook or go to https://acfota.weebly.com.