{"id":809,"date":"2020-09-18T11:55:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-18T18:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/backstagepass.concertarchives.org\/?p=809"},"modified":"2020-09-16T08:51:27","modified_gmt":"2020-09-16T15:51:27","slug":"delta-rae-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.concertarchives.org\/backstagepass\/delta-rae-year\/","title":{"rendered":"My Delta Rae Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Amanda Epstein<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amanda is a lover of music and a contributing writer for multiple music publications. She has written interviews, reviews, and features. When she is not working, she can be found traveling to catch live concerts, discovering new artists, and learning to play the guitar. Based in Maryland, she travels around the country to where the music takes her.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Delta
Amanda + Delta Rae in Raleigh; Top row: Eric H\u00f6lljes, Mike McKee, Ian H\u00f6lljes; Front row: Grant Emerson, Liz Hopkins, Amanda, Brittany H\u00f6lljes<\/em><\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Mike
Mike’s trash can drum<\/em><\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2019 was a year of music for me and Delta Ray in particular was woven so completely into it. Delta Rae is a band made of six members –  a trio of siblings: Ian, Eric, and Brittany H\u00f6lljes, along with Liz Hopkins, Grant Emerson, and Mike McKee. Together these six people create not just a show, but an experience. Throughout 2019, I saw them live twelve times. Three times on a cruise; thrice in Colorado; twice in North Carolina; and once each in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, DC, and Tennessee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My journey began in March when I first saw Delta Rae perform on the Melissa Etheridge cruise. Originally, I wasn\u2019t planning on going to their show, but my friends\u2019 set had just ended and they said they were about to jump onstage with Delta Rae. My cabin mates and I headed to the theater to grab a seat for their show. I was blown away by their energy and talent. That was also the first time I had seen their unique musical instrument: in one song the drummer, Mike, plays a trash can…yes a dented, metal trash can. Big metal chains on an upside down metal trash can makes for some interesting sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brittany and Liz pulled the audience in with their energy and movements. I\u2019m not sure either one of them stood still for more than ten seconds. During “Run” it isn\u2019t unusual to see Brittany spinning in circles in her bare feet. Liz loves fringe on her skirts. When the two of them get going, it can be dizzying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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