Join us for performances by A V Linton and Tony Molina, as part of the musical programming for Bay Area Then.

A V Linton is one of the most unforgettable songwriters of the last 30 years. Working with The Aislers Set, Go Sailor, and Henry’s Dress, Linton has created a body of work that jangles, tempts, and incites. Musically, they’ve taken hints from the DIY earworms of the C86 movement, the textured richness of girl groups, and the clear-voiced harmonies of early rock music. Lyrically, Linton is a careful observer, stitching together everyday interaction, yearning, and a kind of cursed wisdom to create heart-stopping portraits. The songs irrefutably prove the bond between looking outward and looking inward, demonstrating the radical empathy borne through the concern for one’s own heart. For this performance, Linton will be joined by Dan Lee, Alicia Vanden Heuvel and Tony Molina.

Writing for Pitchfork, Stuart Berman described the music of Tony Molina as striking “a happy medium between intimacy and urgency.” Urgency for sure—across six LPs of buzzing, indelible melodies, there are less than a dozen songs played for longer than 90 seconds. Molina jumps in, punches a hole through your heart, and jumps right back out. And yes, intimacy. Molina’s songs open a door to the songwriter’s mind, a string of self-doubts, corroded hope, and disappointments that everyone feels, but few people are brave enough to articulate.

Galleries will be open from 5–9pm. Performance begins at 7:30pm in the YBCA Forum.

This event is part of the programming for the exhibition Bay Area Then. Music programming is conceived by Chris Johanson and Ethan Swan.