2008 Woodie Awards
Not your parents' folk band
Coyote Grace takes the stage at the SSU Commons
Ashley Bacher
Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: Arts and Entertainment
What do you get when you combine a transman singer, a feisty femme and give them a couple of instruments to fool around with? You get the folk-acoustic sound of Coyote Grace, a duo hailing from Seattle who made their way to the SSU Commons on Feb. 13.
Coyote Grace consists of Joe Stevens, a female to male transgendered individual whose melodic vocals and harmonizing guitar produce a sound reminiscent of its folk/bluegrass roots.
Providing rhythm on the upright bass is Ingrid Elizabeth, an Ohio native who migrated over to the west coast to follow her passion for music.
The two met in Seattle, and after a joint interest of folk and indie music, Coyote Grace was formed in 2004.
With a tagline of "girl meets girl, girl becomes boy, girl and boy form band," it's fair to say Coyote Grace is unique. And the band has created a name for themselves throughout the queer community.
With much of 2007 spent touring, the band gained notoriety as well as several awards, one of which is the "Favorite Transgender Musician," from the Stonewall Society Pride in the Arts Festival.
Coming back to Northern California, where Joe grew up, the band is now embarking on a tour that will carry them across the United States.
Sponsored by the Queer-Straight Alliance, Coyote Grace took the stage at the Commons armed with only their instruments, microphones and a natural passion for their music.
With a set that lasted nearly two hours, the range of music went from popular covers to original songs that hadn't been practiced in years.
Most noteworthy was how the material off the band's full-length album, "Boxes & Bags" sounded. Coyote Grace was able to translate the gentle acoustics and the nimble fret work they displayed onstage showcased their album material wonderfully.
Elizabeth's jumpy bass work accented Steven's velvety voice perfectly.
It's difficult for bands to recreate the quaint charm of their studio recordings, but Coyote Grace's stage show carries the same inimate spirit found on their CD.
Coyote Grace consists of Joe Stevens, a female to male transgendered individual whose melodic vocals and harmonizing guitar produce a sound reminiscent of its folk/bluegrass roots.
Providing rhythm on the upright bass is Ingrid Elizabeth, an Ohio native who migrated over to the west coast to follow her passion for music.
The two met in Seattle, and after a joint interest of folk and indie music, Coyote Grace was formed in 2004.
With a tagline of "girl meets girl, girl becomes boy, girl and boy form band," it's fair to say Coyote Grace is unique. And the band has created a name for themselves throughout the queer community.
With much of 2007 spent touring, the band gained notoriety as well as several awards, one of which is the "Favorite Transgender Musician," from the Stonewall Society Pride in the Arts Festival.
Coming back to Northern California, where Joe grew up, the band is now embarking on a tour that will carry them across the United States.
Sponsored by the Queer-Straight Alliance, Coyote Grace took the stage at the Commons armed with only their instruments, microphones and a natural passion for their music.
With a set that lasted nearly two hours, the range of music went from popular covers to original songs that hadn't been practiced in years.
Most noteworthy was how the material off the band's full-length album, "Boxes & Bags" sounded. Coyote Grace was able to translate the gentle acoustics and the nimble fret work they displayed onstage showcased their album material wonderfully.
Elizabeth's jumpy bass work accented Steven's velvety voice perfectly.
It's difficult for bands to recreate the quaint charm of their studio recordings, but Coyote Grace's stage show carries the same inimate spirit found on their CD.