Greg Svitil

On Passing Ships The lights just flickered twice and said goodnight As the rain slams on the eaves And wind huffs through the trees The lightning lights the snarling faces in the leaves Saint Peter and Saint Paul laid a pall On my body while the wedding band blew brasses The clarinetists weeping through their glasses The woodwinds lost their transit passes Go on and wave a waterlogged white flag The prednisone is rattling in my bag The yards with dogs as muddy as the hell below the long main drag It’s a slow walk down St Claude back to Burgundy Past the churches and the Church’s in the flood ‘Neath the hope that springs eternal in the redbuds Where your sweat-drops mingle with my blood When the dancers and romancers all depart And you pedal down the road, meds in your cart When the storm rains on the levee around your heart Beating on and on, on a passing ship tonight Footage by Erin McWilliams

Upcoming Broommaker shows: Saturday, May 16 at 1pm in Gaithersburg, MD at Grape Escape w/Rebecca Berlin, Joe Isaacs Sunday, May 17 at 4-7pm in Fairfax, VA at MacKenzie’s Tunes and Tonics w/Rebecca Berlin, Juels Bland, Rowan Corbett, Maddie Desrocher, Rugan Lewis, Jillian Matundan, Eryn Michel Saturday, May 30 at 3pm in Washington, DC at Petworth Porchfest at 1127 Allison St NW w/The Icy Moons (2pm), zhtml (4pm). Friday, June 5 at 7pm in Philadelphia, PA at DuBois Robeson People’s Center w/Eva Shepard Saturday, June 6 at 7pm in Providence, RI at Red Ink w/ Vudu Sister, Field of Embers Sunday, June 7 at 7pm in Turners Falls, MA at Rendeznous w/TBA Monday, June 8 from 6-7pm in Plympton, MA at Colchester Farm Tuesday, June 9 at 7pm in Newmarket, NH at Newmarket Millspace w/Coyote Hotbox (NH), Soft Eyes Closed (NH), Radiator (ME) for Elle’s Birthday Bash benefitting NHMARF Wednesday, June 10 from 7-9pm in Ellswoworth, ME at Black Moon Thursday, June 11 at 7pm in Meriden, CT at Grace’s Place w/Lys Guillorn, the Sawtelles Friday, June 12 at 7pm in Baltimore, MD at the Hargrove w/Rebecca Berlin, Clif Ingram Saturday, June 13 at 7pm in Rehoboth, DE at Extended Play w/TBA Sunday, July 12 at 2pm in Sandy Spring, MD at the Sandy Spring Songwriter Showcase, Sandy Spring Museum with Sad Veiled Bride, Rafael Babay, Rob Hinkal, Rowan Corbett Friday, July 31 at 7pm in Hyattsville, MD at SoHy Corner Shops w/Rebecca Berlin, Rugar Lewis Friday, August 14 at 6pm in Mt. Airy, MD at Elk Run Winery w/Rebecca Berlin Saturday, August 22 at 5pm in Savage, MD at Pass Through Music Salon at Brewing Good w/TBA

I’ll be playing Broommaker shows in early June in the northeastern United States, bookended by a pair of local appearances. Details on these shows are at VeilsOfTeeth dot com. Please share widely. Thank you for listening. Saturday, May 30 at 3pm in Washington, DC at Petworth Porchfest at 1127 Allison St NW w/The Icy Moons (2pm), zhtml (4pm). Friday, June 5 at 7pm in Philadelphia, PA at DuBois Robeson People’s Center w/Eva Shepard, Matt Geary Saturday, June 6 at 7pm in Providence, RI at Red Ink w/ Vudu Sister, Field of Embers Sunday, June 7 at 7pm in Turners Falls, MA at Rendeznous w/TBA Monday, June 8 from 6-7pm in Plympton, MA at Colchester Farm Tuesday, June 9 at 7pm in Newmarket, NH at Newmarket Millspace w/Coyote Hotbox (NH), Soft Eyes Closed (NH), Radiator (ME) for Elle’s Birthday Bash benefitting NHMARF Wednesday, June 10 from 7-9pm in Ellswoworth, ME at Black Moon Thursday, June 11 at 7pm in Meriden, CT at Grace’s Place w/Lys Guillorn, the Sawtelles Friday, June 12 at 7pm in Baltimore, MD at the Hargrove w/Rebecca Berlin, Clif Ingram Saturday, June 13 at 7pm in Rehoboth, DE at Extended Play w/TBA Tuesday, June 16 at 7pm in Takoma Park, MD at the Takoma Spark at the School of Musical Traditions

Hello, There are a number of upcoming shows that I’m looking forward to, including the Petworth Porchfest, the Sandy Spring Museum, the Pass Through Music Salon, and the release show for Rebecca Berlin’s outstanding new album, just to name a few. This image is along the border of Vermont and New Hampshire from a tour of yeast past, and where I’ll be returning in June, announcing dates in the days ahead. You can also visit the Bandcamp page linked in my profile and listen and download four recent singles, two of which respectively benefit the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. Here are those upcoming local dates, in case you are curious and would like to come out to gather among people and hear us: Saturday, May 16 at 1pm in Gaithersburg, MD at Grape Escape w/Rebecca Berlin, Joe Isaacs Sunday, May 17 at 4-7pm in Fairfax, VA at MacKenzie’s Tunes and Tonics for the Rebecca Berlin “Questions and Answers” album release show (I’ll be playing on some of Rebecca’s songs and she’ll be playing on a couple mine) w/Rebecca Berlin, Juels Bland, Rowan Corbett, Maddie Desrocher, Rugan Lewis, Jillian Matundan, Eryn Michel, Bobby Gulshan Saturday, May 30 at 3pm in Washington, DC at Petworth Porchfest at 1127 Allison St NW w/The Icy Moons (2pm), zhtml (4pm). Sunday, July 12 at 2pm in Sandy Spring, MD at the Sandy Spring Songwriter Showcase, Sandy Spring Museum with Sad Veiled Bride, Rafael Babay, Rob Hinkal, Rowan Corbett Friday, July 31 at 7pm in Hyattsville, MD at SoHy Corner Shops w/Rebecca Berlin, Rugar Lewis Friday, August 14 at 6pm in Mt. Airy, MD at Elk Run Winery w/Rebecca Berlin Saturday, August 22 at 5pm in Savage, MD at Pass Through Music Salon at Brewing Good w/TBA

Thanks to Sara for playing the Broommaker song Caroline on Indie Penchant on WOWD last night. You can hear the show in the archives at TakomaRadio dot org. Our friends Lud Roes, Annette Wasilik (who also sings and plays guitar on Caroline), Novparolo, Acacia Sears, and others also got Indie Penchant play on the show last night. You can also hear Caroline among recent Broommaker singles on Bandcamp at the link in profile, and pre-order the album, releasing digitally on May 22 with vinyl shipping around June 15.

A few years ago I played a show in Portland, Maine. There was another songwriter who played that night who rattled me to the core with her songs. I came to find out that she doesn’t record publicly and doesn’t play outside of Portland. While my heart sank a little to think I might never hear these heavenly songs again, it was also a true blessing to witness someone making songs for their own sake. The next day in Worcester I started writing this song about some of what I felt in her songs. Caroline is out today. It features the core band that made the Hourglass album: Rebecca Berlin (piano), Hester Doyle (cello), and Annette Wasilik (guitar, voice). This is the last of the singles ahead of the record, releasing digitally on May 22 with vinyl shipping once I’m back home from the northeast around June 15. You can check it out and pre-order at the link in my profile. You can hear Caroline at the link in my profile. Thank you for listening. Image from the road somewhere in the northeast.

Thanks to everyone who’s engaged with The Queen of Iowa over this past week. There’s one last Broommaker single from the upcoming Hourglass album. Caroline will see the light of day on this coming Monday. Link to pre-save in the bio. I wrote this song after my first visit to Maine a few years back. Watch this space on Monday to listen. We hope you’ll like what you hear.

Thank you to all who have engaged with Broommaker’s Written on Their Arms single this week. You can listen and purchase at the link in bio. All proceeds from Written on Their Arms will benefit the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF). This coming Monday, we’re releasing The Queen of Iowa as the next single from Broommaker’s Hourglass album. You can pre-save it at the link in bio, and stay tuned on Monday. As always, thank you for listening.

Broommaker performing “A House After a Hurricane” and “Sewn Hands” on Thursday at Wonderland, accompanied by Rebecca Berlin on piano. You might remember these songs as the opening cut son Greg’s 2020 Teething Veils album Canopy of Crimson. He’s got a new Broommaker solo album coming out next month, with a single hitting streaming platforms in two days (April 6), and Rebecca plays piano on the album as well.

At the Bitter End with Elisa, about to see Carolyn Hester.

@veilsofteeth Thank you for volunteering your time & talent today. The residents really enjoyed your performance! Musicmend.org #MusiciansMakingADifference #thegiftofmusic #singingforseniers #thepowerofmusic

Mark your calendars for Friday, March 27! @graceakell celebrates the release of her debut EP “Lamb” at @thefridgedc , with @jemwildesongs and @flopetite . We can hardly wait.