Annelle Staal

Annelle Staal plays Berkeley Cafe on Sunday, October 11, with Leah Lawson and McKinney joining in. It's an acoustic set, and the billing puts it as Appalachian songwriters coming together with local voices for a night of original songs and stories.

If you haven't caught Staal live, it's a good place to start. Their voice has been described as silk, and they're known for a fanciful, capricious stage presence that keeps you on your toes. The full-band sound they're known for—the Annelle Staal Trio—runs from alternative southern indie and soul over to concept house. That trio is made up of Frost School of Music alumni and producers Ben Youngblood and 'X', and their setup pairs duelling drum machines with clarinet, guitar and bass, with Staal occasionally taking to the keys. They've played hundreds of live shows, held a three-year residency at a talent agency on Nashville's Music Row, and run triweekly online music streams. The group formed when Youngblood and 'X' met Staal in Youngblood's hometown of Raleigh, which became the band's natural home. Fans describe the performances as visually mesmerising, occasionally psychedelic, and as danceable as they are deeply moving.

This particular night strips things back. Instead of the full trio and the drum machines, it's an acoustic set with Leah Lawson and McKinney on the bill, and the focus shifts to original songs and stories. It's a different side of the act than the danceable, psychedelic live shows they're known for—more of a songwriter's room than a dance floor.

The show is at Berkeley Cafe, 217 W Martin St in Raleigh, on Sunday, October 11, starting at 6 PM. Admission is free.