Wooden Rings will be performing all of the songs off of our new audience funded EP Twisted & Tangled, as heard on The Morning Shift hosted by Toni Sarabia on WBEZ. People are calling these songs some of our most powerful, mature work to date. We will be selling the EP for $6 and include merchandise packages, with buttons, shirts, and small posters so be sure to bring a little extra to take it home with you. Old town is a wonderful venue with great sound, comfortable spaces, and professional staff. The have a nice bar- this is definitely a date night.
Old Town School of Folk Music
Chicago’s Wooden Rings are gearing up for a new release this summer. The band’s 2012 self-titled debut received some lofty praise, locally. The four-piece is sometimes described as a chamber quartet, though a more rustic, sometimes folky sound seems to shine through more often than anything else. That rusticism, married with confessional lyrics, makes for melancholy songs drenched in the eternal longing for one’s better days. The band features Ramah Jihan (nylon-string guitar, lead vocals, songwriter), Justin Rodig (supporting vocal, clarinet, banjo, bells), Brett Bakshis (electric bass) and Marissa Deitz (cello). Wooden Rings stop The Morning Shift by for a preview of their forthcoming record, Twisted & Tangled, and chat a little bit about their music. The rustic confessional of Wooden Rings by WBEZ’s Morning Shift is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Wooden Rings just played The Morning Shift today and Tony Sarabia was so easy to talk to. Thanks to Tony and to all the crew for listening. It’s such an amazing complex at Navy Pier.
WXRT
In case you missed it, this is an informative interview with Wooden Strings’ guitarist/vocalist and principal songwriter Ramah Jihan about the inspiration for the band’s debut, securing grant money to record and the band’s unusual instrumentation. The Local Anesthetic playlist for Sunday 8.12.12 with special guests, Wooden Rings.
Featured Songs Wooden Rings – To Let You Go Wooden Rings – The Crash Wooden Rings – Bated Breath Wooden Rings – The Long Way WXRT showing some love for the record Wooden Rings. “There’s a feeling of light footsteps on a forest floor to the sound of Wooden Rings‘ eponymous debut. Kind of like the purpose of getting thru these woods is to do so as quietly as possible. I don’t hear it so much as an attempt to avoid disturbing the forest and it’s plants and creatures but in an effort to more closely be at one with the surroundings. Deep, huh? Yeah, I can fool ya sometimes but I love the gentleness of this record as much as I’m taken with it’s heart and soul. Can’t quite commit to saying it’ll be an Anesthetic Best Of for 2012 but it won’t be to far out of the running.
Ramah Jihan is the principal songwriter, vocalist and guitarist in Wooden Rings (with one track composed by multi-instrumentalist Justin Rodig) but this is a full band effort. No electric guitar/bass/drum outfit here, though. Nylon string guitar, cello, banjo, bells, clarinet, and electric bass all blend nicely to create that walk-softly-in-the-forest sound. No other band I know of in Chicago sounds quite like Wooden Rings and that alone should intrigue you to tune in for music and conversation with Ramah Jihan of Wooden Rings on this week’s Local Anesthetic, Sunday night at 7:30, here on XRT.”- Richard Milne
WTTW
Chicago Tonight Culture Web Extra: Profile of Local Band Wooden Rings to perform at Lakeview East Festival of the Arts Lindsay Prossnitz | September 7, 2012 12:45 pm Local band Wooden Rings is performing this weekend at the Lakeview East Festival of the Arts. This four-member ensemble is starting to make waves with their unique, eclectic sound that was recently showcased on XRT’s Local Anesthetic show. The band is comprised of Ramah Jihan on vocals and lead guitar, Justin Rodig on supporting vocals, clarinet, banjo and bells, Brett Bakshis on electric bass and Marissa Deitz on cello. Watch a sneak preview of the band’s performances and listen to the members talk about getting their music off the ground, including securing grant money from the Community Arts Assistance Program.