Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion

Husband-and-wife duo Johnny Irion and Sarah Lee Guthrie met about a decade ago in L.A., which is noteworthy only in that classic SoCal folk rock is among their styles of music, along with country, folk, and rootsy rock. South Carolinian Irion is a vet of indie-rock bands. Guthrie is the daughter of Arlo and granddaughter of Woody, an illustrious lineage that seeps into her vocals and writing. The couple's distinguishing vocal harmonies can be as brittle as vintage folk or they can really howl, as they do on the blistering rocker "Gervais" from their 2005 album Exploration (New West). It was recorded in Ed Ackerson's Minneapolis studio with Ackerson and Jayhawk Gary Louris at the controls, Louris on guitar, and fellow Jayhawk Marc Perlman on bass. Last year Irion (with Guthrie contributing vocals) put out Ex Tempore (Rte. 8) under his own name, edging even further into folk-rock territory. The Jayhawks connection continues with 'Hawks drummer Tim O'Reagan opening the show in his singer-songwriter guise.
Fri., April 25, 8 p.m., 2008