Christopher Paul Stelling at Rozz-Tox -- May 11.
Saturday, May 11, 8 p.m.
Rozz-Tox, 2108 Third Avenue, Third Avenue, Rock Island IL
Hailed by Acoustic Guitar as " not just an incredible guitarist — one who is capable of filling a room with only his dexterous fingerpicking, voice, and stomp of his foot - but also an excellent songwriter," acclaimed folk artist Christopher Paul Stelling headlines a May 11 concert event at Rock Island's Rozz-Tox, the Florida native also praised by the Village Voice as "a pristine, total package of a one-man musical outfit that recalls the intensity of The Tallest Man on Earth and labelmate Glen Hansard."
Released in 2012, Stelling's official debut album Songs of Praise & Scorn was recorded with friends over five-day period in August of 2011 in a 200-year-old, actively working funeral home in Kentucky. The album was met with very favorable reviews, prompting the Village Voice to say, "Every song on his debut album Songs of Praise & Scorn cooks with both down-home comfort and avant-garde brio, Stelling building earthy folk troubadour stories over a fluster of wild arpeggios." American Songwriter also noted, "Stelling is an artist who can leave one shaking one's head in bewilderment over how somebody can play difficult guitar parts and sing a completely disparate melody line at the same time. But he also hasn't forgotten how to just play simple chords when that's what a song calls for."
Stelling's second album False Cities was released in 2013 immediately following the singer/songwriter's first European tour, leading Music News Nashville to call the artist "among the best of the current crop of troubadours who are eking out a living by playing house concerts and driving to shows in cars held together with paper clips. His fingerpicking ability is a great asset, but he writes and sings with a drive and determination that a lot of his peers lack. ... Stelling is on top of his game when it comes to writing songs that will translate to the stage as he travels the country to deliver them." After Stelling's Labor Against Waste debuted in 2015, No Depression wrote, "The energy that this man is able to unleash through his songs and performances is unprecedented. The power and talent he beholds is a rare and beautiful thing." Rolling Stone, meanwhile, proclaimed, ”The record delights at the threshold of polished folk-pop and rustic old folk; and he seems bound to make converts on both sides of that divide.”
Recently, Stelling’s fifth album, 2020's Best of Luck, came from a musical relationship forged between the folk artist and Ben Harper, after Harper invited him to open at a series of well-known venues including the Beacon Theatre. Harper says he instantly recognized a kindred spirit in Stelling’s virtuosic finger picking and soulful delivery, and soon signed on to produce Best of Luck. Additionally, Harper recruited an all-star rhythm section for the recording sessions, including drummer Jimmy Paxson and bassist Mike Valerio to lend a versatility and finesse to Stelling’s soulful guitar playing. Best of Luck debuted at number 48 on the Americana Album Chart, and following its release, Stelling embarked on an extensive tour of North America and Europe.
Christopher Paul Stelling plays his Rock Island engagement on May 11 with an additional set by Soultru, admission to the 8 p.m. all-ages concert is $15, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)200-0978 and visiting RozzTox.com.
