Andrew Marlin of Watchouse

Andrew Marlin, singer songwriter, mandolin player and guitarist from Chapel Hill, known for his band Watchhouse (formerly known as Mandolin Orange), will perform with Nashville fiddler Christian Sedelmyer, guitarist Josh Oliver and bassist Clint Mullican.

During the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020, Marlin released two dynamic, instrumental albums, Witching Hour and Fable & Fire, which followed up 2018’s Buried in a Cape.

Witching Hour, which was released February 5, 2021, is redolent of bluegrass and American roots music soundscapes; rich fiddle and mandolin weave through powerful, coursing tunes. Folk Alley said the record “showcase(s) Marlin’s ingenious ways of dwelling in a tune and turning it inside out, grounding it in tradition but carrying it out to new heights through brilliant innovation.”

Fable & Fire, which was released two short weeks after Witching Hour, draws more from the sounds of Irish roots music and is reminiscent of the melodies that came over from the Emerald Isle to early Appalachia.. Red Line Roots called the album a “masterpiece” and that “Andrew’s instrumental songs have a way of speaking volumes without actually having any words within them. Rich palettes of emotion, place, space and vibe that in all my years of listening to instrumental records, I am yet to find an equal to.”

Each album was recorded in a different recording studio but largely had the same crew of instrumentalists, all of whom are close friends and trusted collaborators. Nashville guitarist Jordan Tice and Sedelmyer have worked closely with Marlin, as have Oliver and Mullican, both of whom tour and record in Watchhouse. Award winning fiddler Brittany Haas joined up for a tune on Witching Hour, and Fable and Fire with cellist Nat Smith on every track.

Outside of summer festival appearances at notable events Newport Folk and Telluride Bluegrass, this tour marks the first time these songs will be performed live in venues.

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