Evocative Ari Hest appears at the me and thee on May 1

On Friday, May 1st, the me&thee coffeehouse is happy to welcome Ari Hest back to its stage. Not only have Ari’s songs been played on multiple TV shows, but he has also toured nationally and internationally. He’s been touring quite regularly with legendary Judy Collins. The opening act is Honor Finnegan, a New York based singer-songwriter. Doors open at 7:30 PM for this 8:00 PM show at the me&thee coffeehouse which is located at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead at 28 Mugford Street.

In 2008 Ari decided it was time to take more creative control over his music and parted ways with his record label. Utilizing all the technology available to him, he launched his highly successful 52 project, a web based subscription service that found him writing, recording, and releasing a new song every Monday for an entire year. Performing Songwriter called these songs “high-caliber and heartfelt.” At the end of the year, the subscribers were asked to vote for their 12 favorite songs from the project and the ones that got the most votes were then reworked and digitally released in the form of the album Twelve Mondays in early 2009.

Ari continued to explore his songwriting and has since recorded several albums containing his always insightful lyrics and varied instrumentation. Ari has built his career the old fashioned way, doing 150 dates a year for the better part of the last decade. He has even added Europe into the mix through multiple tours in Ireland, Czech Republic, Germany and Belgium. Film and television helped expanding Ari’s fan base by playing his songs numerous times on shows such asPrivate Practice and One Tree Hill, and he scored the film Dreamriders, which won numerous independent film awards, and also featured several of Ari’s songs. While his newest album, 2014’s Shouts and Whispers, is an excellent indication of what Hest is capable of, his live show leaves even more of an impression.

Honor Finnegan is the Susan Boyle of quirky indie folk, only hotter. Her songs are humorous then heartbreaking with melodies that soar. Based in New York City, she has been making a splash in the northeastern regional folk scene with her original songs and ukulele playing. Combining elements of musical theatre, comedy, traditional folk, and poetry, Honor was a regular attendee at the late great Jack Hardy’s songwriter’s exchange, which has nurtured the talents of Suzanne Vega, and Shawn Colvin to name but a few. She was a finalist in the 2011 Connecticut Folk Festival Songwriting Competition as well as the Emerging Artist showcase at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival., and she has shared the stage with Buskin & Batteau, Sloan Wainwright, and David Massengill.

Tickets for the performance by Ari Hest with opening act Honor Finnegan are $18 in advance and $21 at the door. Tickets are available online at www.meandthee.org and can be purchased in person at the Spirit of ’76 Bookstore or the Arnold Gallery in Marblehead. The Landing Restaurant at 81 Front Street, Marblehead offers a 10% discount on dinner if you show your ticket or receipt. Enjoy a meal before the show! As at all me & thee coffeehouse events, refreshments are available, including homemade pastries, coffee, and teas. The me & thee has a handicapped-accessible entrance and an accessible bathroom, is a smoke-free environment, and is easily reached by MBTA bus. The me & thee is one of the oldest continually running acoustic coffeehouses in New England, and probably the country. It has been and will always be a volunteer, non-profit organization sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead. For information and directions, call 781-631-8987 or check the website at http://www.meandthee.orgwww.meandthee.org.

Next concert: May 8th- Rani Arbo with Daisy Mayhem and opening act Suzie Brown and Scot Sax