Mark Phillips

Raven Adams

 

A moth often mistaken for a bird

Acoustic folk rock duo

The Clearwings began performing in December, 2013

​

 

The first time we saw the acoustic folk rock duo The Clearwings perform was at the Lille Aeske art house in Boulder Creek, a tiny mountain town among large second growth redwoods, 90 minutes south of San Francisco. Thanks & praises to Sarah Farrell Mackessy & James Mackessy for creating their “small box” art house – an intimate and inspiring space that pulls in big artists in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains. 

 

That summer evening on July 8, 2017, The Clearwings filled that space with their music – vocals and guitar – and the CD we bought that night became our summer of 2017 soundtrack. Since that time we have tried to catch the duo live again in San Francisco or Santa Cruz, but never seem to make it happen. Instead we watch every video we can find of them on Youtube and Spotify.

 

10 years ago we fell in love with the music of The Finches, another duo: Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs & Aaron Morgan. But no sooner had we stoked that crush into an obsession did they – poof – go their separate ways and pursue other artistic outlets. We (Chris) were crushed.

 

We’re not known among our friends as music people. We moved here in ’96 from New York City and didn’t make it to the Fillmore until 2017. But we have always loved live musical performances in small settings and we’re starting to get the hang of things. We didn’t pound the pavement to find The Clearwings – they alighted before us due to the hustle of Sarah & James, but now that we’ve crossed paths, we’ve been looking to net them to share their art with our social circle. We are pleased to present the musical art of The Clearwings: Raven Adams and Mark Phillips.

 

​

The Finches: Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs & Aaron Morgan

How could such magic choose of their own accord, to move on? 

This deserves a small novel, to explore their origins, their art at its prime, and society's loss that they moved on. One of the great mysteries of existence. Send Raven and Mark of the Clearwings a postal card -- urge them not to go the way of The Finches. I believe in their art. 

​