Music at the Dairy present Spencer LaJoye, with Sturtz and Olivia Roumel

SPENCER LAJOYE MAKES QUEER INDIE FOLK MUSIC FOR EVERYONE. With a coy smile, a wink to the back row, and carefree expertise, they spin their crystalline vocals through a loop pedal while strumming the weathered acoustic guitar they acquired for leading worship in high school. “I don’t believe in much anymore,” they announce to teary-eyed audiences, “except a little bit of everything. And you. And me. And that art can change the world simply by making us feel something.”The 2021 Kerrville Songwriting Competition and 2024 Songwriter Serenade winner brings charming and banter-heavy performances to theaters, listening rooms, church sanctuaries, backyards, folk festivals, spiritual conferences, and queer clubs keep diverse audiences laughing one moment and weeping the next. Sturtz was escribed by NPR’s All Songs Considered as “a reassuring breath of fresh air that pulls me back to simpler times.” Usually a quartet, for this set they will be a duo of Andrew Sturtz [vocals, guitar] and Courtlyn Carpenter [cello, harmonies]. They tend to be serene and folksy, with melodic vocals soaring over the lower string instrumentals. Opening the show is writer, singer, and guitarist Olivia “Liv” Roumel. She paints raw, yet ethereal storytelling with an intricate harmonic foundation. Based in Colorado, much of her music is written and influenced by her introspection while in nature, leading her to coin the term “nature-soul”.