Robbie Fulks & Heather Maloney – 11/10

Robbie Fulks & Heather Maloney

Doors open at 5:30 pm. Showtime is 7:00 pm.

“It’s time to make a change,” Robbie Fulks declares at the start of Now Then, his second album on Nashville’s Compass Records. Since emerging in the 1990s as a pioneer of today’s Americana movement, the critically acclaimed, GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter has explored different sounds, genres, and themes across 16 albums. He has performed at venues and on programs including the Grand Ole Opry, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, the Hollywood Bowl, and Jimmy Kimmel Live with Steve Martin, Alison Brown, and Tim O’Brien.

That restless spirit lies at the heart of Now Then. Like a well-stocked jukebox in your favorite bar, its 12 songs range from folk to power pop, jazz to old-time country. The perspective threaded through each comes from realizing that the time behind you spans a greater distance than what lies ahead. “It’s from an older person’s outlook, and mostly true,” Fulks says. “The tone is about 70 percent reflective, 20 percent amused, and 10 percent angry.”

Fulks is recognized for his instrumental virtuosity and songwriting. Artists including Sam Bush, Andrew Bird, John Cowan, the Old 97’s, and Hiss Golden Messenger have covered his songs. He has released albums reinterpreting the works of Michael Jackson and Bob Dylan, as well as two collections of unreleased songs and rarities totaling 103 tracks. His creative ventures include a 2013 collaboration with The Mekons, producing albums by alt-country songwriters Brennen Leigh and Dallas Wayne, and a duo with rockabilly pioneer Linda Gail Lewis. Fulks also performs with comic improvisers, regularly appearing at Second City’s holiday fundraisers and sharing the stage with Michael McKean, Tina Fey, Bob Odenkirk, and Fred Armisen.

Massachusetts-based “writer song-singer” Heather Maloney found music during three years at a meditation center, honing a sound shaped by silent reflection and storytellers like Joni, Rilke, Ken Burns, and the anonymous authors of Zen parables. She eventually traded the quiet, structured life of a yogi for the kinetic life of a touring musician, while keeping her songwriting centered on curiosity about our inner world and the desire to express it through storytelling.

With over 1,000 international shows and eight studio albums, Maloney is preparing to release her ninth and most personal record, Exploding Star, on January 31, 2025. Written after her father’s death, the collection of 12 songs was originally not intended for recording or release until friends and family convinced her otherwise. Recorded over two days in her abandoned childhood home and featuring her father’s guitar, Exploding Star captures the sonic, lyrical, and emotional details of a life story.

Maloney’s songs have played on NPR stations across the country, and her live appearances have aired on syndicated programs including eTown and AudioTree. Her song “Nightstand Drawer” was featured in the season finale of the CBS series Elementary. Her songs have also been streamed hundreds of thousands of times on editorial Spotify playlists and Starbucks’ in-store playlists nationwide.

Maloney is also an illustrator and linocut artist who carves and prints visual representations of her songs. She has toured throughout the US and Canada as a headliner and in support of Lake Street Dive, Shakey Graves, Gary Clark Jr., Rodrigo y Gabriela, Colin Hay, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shawn Colvin, Dar Williams, and others.

“Lyrics that cut to the chase” – Huffington Post
“Utterly gorgeous – visceral.” – Val Haller, New York Times
“Her not-so-secret weapon is that voice” – Boston Globe
“Delicious… really excellent” – Graham Nash
“…stunning, breathy, and starkly memorable.” – SPIN Magazine

The 443 is a listening room with table service and seating for 75. Most seats are sold as “Tables for Two,” meaning each ticket admits two people. A limited number of single seats are available; single attendees may share a table with other single attendees. Multiple tickets purchased under the same name will be seated together, up to six people.

• Green squares and circles on the floor plan are bar-height tables; orange squares are regular-height tables.
• Requesting a specific table is a perk for VIP Patron members.
• For special seating arrangements, including space for a walker, cane, service animal, wheelchair, or low-table requirement, or to be seated with another party, please email the venue after placing your order.