The Wake Forest Listening Room

An Evening with the Wes Collins Band

All Ages
Friday, January 10
Doors: 6:45pm Show: 7:30pm
$12
At age 44, Wes Collins and his wife Anita made a pact to become writers: she started writing
fiction and Wes penned his first song. A few years later, they were both multi-award-winners in their
fields. Collins more than makes up for lost time with songs so dense with ideas that a first listen only
scratches the surface. Come for a haunting melody and some intricate fingerpicking and stay for the wit
and deep literary intelligence. There is always more to find in a Wes Collins song.

And now Wes is flanked by musical heavyweights FJ Ventre on bass and harmonies, Scott
Dameron on guitars, and Barry Gray on guitar, cajon, drums and harmonies. The call themselves the
Wes Collins Band, and they drive, groove, and tiptoe. Yeah, all those things. Come see what we mean.
 
“Wes Collins has a wonderful gift for telling stories from truly unique points of view. Every
narrator in Jabberwockies reveals thoughts I’ve had, but would certainly be terrified to express.
Wes is a courageous songwriter. Wes also has that magical musical sensibility that makes me hit
“repeat” on his songs. He makes my favorite records and he’s one of my ultimate favorite
musical artists.” Jaimee Harris

“Wes Collins’ songs have a way of circling around my mood and elevating it. His music makes me
feel better, no matter how my day is going. I congratulate him on his new record Jabberwockies,
a stellar collection of new songs, beautiful vocals, and glorious harmonies by Jaimee Harris and
Crystal Hariu-Damore. I can’t stop listening to it, I love it!” Mary Gauthier

“He credits many other singer/songwriters in his musical tent as inspiration, including Neil Finn,
Gillian Welch, Bruce Cockburn and Patty Griffin, but Collins is well on his way to establishing his
own voice as one we should value.” – North Carolina Arts Council

“One of the best songwriters in the Triangle’s vital Americana quadrant.”
– David Menconi
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