Alt-folk group celebrates release of ‘Something’

Christopher Stryker and Gianna Purcell have a close relationship. They grew up within three blocks of each other in the Chicago area, and they live the same distance away in Tucson.

For 13 years, they have performed together as the alternative folk outfit Barefoot on Bumblebees.

Barefoot on Bumblebees will celebrate the release its fourth album, “Let It Feel Like Something,” on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Crooked Tooth Brewing Co. Stryker and Purcell will be joined by Michael Martello, Brian Carstensen and Josh Hampton. Jessie Williams will open the show. Chicago natives Martello and Carstensen are also featured on the album.

Barefoot on Bumblebees have served introspective lyrics with upbeat melodies since its debut effort in 2010. However, each album has a different timestamp and showcases their growth as artists.

“It usually ends up being a little window into a period of time in our lives, just because we write around what is going on with us,” Stryker said.

“I think every album, we get a little closer to whatever sound we are. So, we just become ourselves a little bit more every single time.”

With “Let It Feel Like Something,” Barefoot on Bumblebees experimented with a variety of sounds, according to Purcell.

“We usually come up with a sound for a song, and lyrics come after,” Purcell said.

With its music, the band incorporates a range of instruments, including the guitar, banjo, the musical saw, the drums, the melodica, the bells, the ukulele, the accordion and the keyboard.

Sometimes, Purcell and Stryker will fashion items they have at home into instruments. Recently, they glued bells from an old rotary phone onto a washboard.

“It’s fun to make music out of things you normally wouldn’t try to make music out of,” Purcell said.

Stryker plays a modified banjo when he performs with Purcell as a duo.

“You play the same chords as you would on a regular banjo, but the voicing is different,” Stryker said.

“Your D is now two octaves lower. It’s really weird to play, but that’s what fills in the bass line when it’s just the two of us.”

Purcell said with “Let It Feel Like Something” she has taken on a bigger role with writing and singing.

“I started singing just to fill in space, and then I kept singing because I actually started to like it,” she said.

“I grew up playing piano. I’ve dabbled in bass. I have done primarily drums. But I feel like the developmental of singing and the way I take on something new is because I love it… I wanted to learn ukulele, so I started writing songs during the pandemic on the ukulele.”

Stryker started out playing the violin when he was young and moved on to the bass and cello in his teens. Previously, Purcell and Stryker toured the country in a 1970s pop-up camper.

During their time on the road, Stryker made comics inspired by their travels, and Purcell collected materials to make jewelry.

Purcell has also created art for their albums over the years.

“We always do everything ourselves. We are a DIY, indie-folk band,” Purcell said.

Recently, the duo played the Sidepony Express Music Festival in Bisbee, where they did five shows in three days.

They have also performed at local Tucson venues such as Sky Bar, Monterey Court, Borderlands Brewing Co., Solar Culture and Splinter Collective.

Throughout the years, they have played smaller and larger venues, including cafes, bookstores, breweries and bars.

When they were starting out in the Chicago suburbs, they would pack rooms with teens. These experiences really helped to shape them as musicians and grow their love of performing.

“There was a time where people were singing lyrics to our songs. When you’re a 16-year-old kid, and people are singing your lyrics back to you, it’s a good feeling,” Stryker said.

The name Barefoot on Bumblebees came from Stryker’s childhood in Chicago. He and his friends stomped on dandelions where bumblebees would land.

“I feel bad about that now, but at the time I was a little kid,” Stryker said.

The two friends continue to make time for music despite busy their busy careers. Purcell owns a yoga business, and Stryker is an auto body technician.

“There are some people who have always been around and always will be around, and Chris is one of those people,” Purcell said.

“I think at this point we’re family. We’ve gone through the bad shit and the good shit,” Stryker added.

Barefoot on Bumblebees

WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25

WHERE: Crooked Tooth Brewing Co., 228 E. Sixth Street, Tucson

COST: Free admission

INFO: barefootonbumblebees.bandcamp.com

This article appears in Feb 23 – Mar 1, 2023.